House backs tourism project in Kapuk Naga
House backs tourism project in Kapuk Naga
JAKARTA (JP): A commission of the House of Representatives
yesterday said it fully supports the government's plans to
develop a huge tourism project on the coast at Tangerang, West
Java, as long as it complies with environmental regulations.
Muhammad Muas, deputy chairman of the House's Commission X
which oversees environmental affairs, said during a hearing with
West Java Governor Nuriana on Tuesday that the government must
first complete its environmental impact study before going ahead
with the project at Kapuk Naga.
"The study must be objective and professional, conducted by
experts from Indonesia and abroad if necessary," Muas, a
legislator of the Golkar faction, said.
Environmental activists have warned that the project, covering
more than 8,000 hectares, could disrupt the ecology of the area.
The Ministry of Public Works has also demanded a full
environmental impact study because it is feared that the presence
of such a big project could lead to flooding in nearby areas,
including the Soekarno-Hatta airport in Cengkareng.
The project, which was approved by President Soeharto in
August, is expected to take 20 years to complete.
Its facilities will include marine attractions, apartments,
hotels, housing complexes, shopping malls, a fishermen's village,
low-cost housing and other facilities.
The plan includes coast reclamation of 4,000 hectares of the
Teluk Naga shoreline and 2,500 hectares of ponds.
The project will take over rice fields and 13 villages which
are currently home to 72,794 people.
Governor Nuriana said the project's environmental impact study
is being done by experts from the state-owned Padjadjaran
university in Bandung.
PT Pantai Kapuknaga Indah, a subsidiary of the Salim Group,
has been appointed to develop the project, he said, adding that
the West Java provincial administration has a five percent stake
in the venture.
Nuriana said the project is integrated with the development of
the Greater Jakarta area which includes Bogor, Tangerang and
Bekasi. (01)