Sutiyoso insists on reclamation plan

Sutiyoso insists on reclamation plan

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso stated on Monday that his
administration would go ahead with the reclamation plan in the
northern coastal area of the city (Pantura), ignoring a new
environmental impact analysis on the project.

He emphasized that the reclamation plan was the most obvious
way of dealing with the limited space available to cater for
fast-growing development in the city.

"Reclamation has been implemented successfully in many cities
overseas, such as Singapore and Tokyo. Why can't we do the same
thing here?" Sutiyoso said after inaugurating a number of new
officials at the city administration.

The reclamation project has drawn strong opposition from
various parties who said that it would cause serious
environmental damage and spark social problems as it would worsen
flooding and affect thousands of people in the area.

The reasons were confirmed by the result of the latest
environmental impact analysis (Amdal), which began in May last
year.

It shows a number of environmental and social problems. First,
the reclamation project would cause an increase in sea level of
up to 12 centimeters.

Second, it would spark social conflict as thousands of
fishermen in Kamal Muara, Muara Angke, Muara Baru and Kampung
Luar Batang could lose their jobs.

Third, it would damage the marine ecosystem as some 330
million cubic meters of sand would be needed to reclaim the area.

Finally, it would worsen pollution around the Thousand Islands
regency due to activities during the reclamation process and
during the utilization of the reclaimed land.

Following the results of the impact analysis, State Minister
of the Environment Nabiel Makarim issued a decree on Feb. 19, to
reject the project.

Nabiel also urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri to issue a
decree to revoke presidential decree no. 52/1995 issued by former
president Soeharto, which become the legal basis for the city
administration to implement the project.

Sutiyoso, however, still said that the Amdal had given a green
light to the reclamation project. He did not explain which impact
analysis was meant, but he may have been referring to the
analysis made soon after the project was introduced in 1995.

Previously, executive chairman of the Jakarta Waterfront
Management Board M. Sidarta said the Rp 20 trillion project
included 2,500 hectares of reclamation from the sea and the
revitalization of 2,700 hectares of coastal areas.

Sidarta said that the project, hoped to be completed within 30
years, could improve environmental conditions in the area.

The area produced by the reclamation project would be
allocated for luxury housing, hotels, condominiums, industrial
zones, business centers, super shopping malls, offices, seaports
and recreation venues.

It was not only the Office of the State Minister of the
Environment that had opposed the reclamation plan.

Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Ministry director
general for spatial planning Sjarifuddin Akil also rejected the
project, saying that it would cause more problems in dealing with
flooding.

He stressed that previously, even without the northern Jakarta
coast reclamation project and the environmental damage it might
cause, the capital city had already been hit by huge seasonal
flooding in 2002, causing losses worth Rp 6 trillion (US$666
million).