Prabowo Targets Start of Giant Sea Wall Construction on Java's North Coast During His Term
President Prabowo Subianto has expressed his determination to begin the construction of the Giant Sea Wall along the North Coast of Java (Pantura). The strategic project is projected to take 15 to 20 years to complete, serving as a long-term safeguard for coastal areas against the threat of rising sea levels.
The statement was made during the Government’s introduction of the Draft State Budget (RUU APBN) for the 2027 fiscal year in Jakarta. Prabowo emphasised that as the eighth president, he must take the initial step, even if the project’s inauguration will be carried out by future leaders.
‘This Giant Sea Wall project will take 15 to 20 years to complete. It is a long time. I do not know which president will inaugurate it, but I am determined that the eighth president will start this project,’ Prabowo stated.
The construction plan involves dividing the project into 15 segments stretching from Banten Province to Gresik in East Java. The President believes that if work is carried out simultaneously across all segments, the construction duration could be shortened to less than two decades.
Prabowo also revealed that the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has produced technological breakthroughs that will be implemented in the project. He stressed the importance of having the courage to initiate long-term protective infrastructure, citing the Netherlands’ success in securing its territory from sea disasters.
‘This is an absolute necessity; we must not wait for disaster to strike. The Giant Sea Wall on the north coast of Java must become a protective belt for millions of residents to save tens of thousands of hectares that are already sinking,’ he asserted.
Beyond functioning as a barrier against sea water intrusion, the engineering project is designed with a dual purpose. The Giant Sea Wall is expected to provide clean water infrastructure, create new economic growth corridors, and serve as a means to enhance technological capacity for the nation’s people.