Land reclamation

Land reclamation
in Jakarta

This is to remind Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, who is going
ahead with the Jakarta reclamation project, that even he knows
the environmental impact assessment has elaborated the
consequences in detail.

The front page of the March 11 edition of The Jakarta Post
mentioned the details of the impact and those who rejected the
plan, including the minister of environment, the director general
overseeing spatial planning at the Ministry of Resettlement and
Regional Infrastructure and, of course, some non-governmental
organizations (NGOs).

Sutiyoso has probably forgotten about last year's floods, the
city's worst, with material losses hitting Rp 6 trillion, which
would have made it impossible for him to retain his governorship
without the backing of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Although he mentioned Singapore and Tokyo as examples, he did
not realize that topographically Jakarta is not fit for
reclamation, as the Pantai Indah Kapuk luxury housing project was
one of the culprits behind last year's flooding.

M. RUSDI
Jakarta