Sutiyoso proposes a public debate on land reclamation

Sutiyoso proposes a public debate on land reclamation

Benget Simbolon Tnb., The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso has proposed to hold a public debate on the
project to reclaim land along the coastal areas in northern
Jakarta before deciding to go ahead with the venture.

"We want a public debate to discuss the project thoroughly. It
should involve all concerned sides, including experts and those
who have conducted this kind of a project in other countries," he
said at a specially organized meeting with city editors at the
Schmutzer Primate Center in Ragunan Zoo over the weekend.

Asked if the project would be scrapped if the public debate
concluded that the land reclamation project should not be given
the green light, Sutiyoso replied, "If that happens, then we'll
comply with the conclusion. But if not, we'll have to review the
environmental impact analysis issued by the environment
minister."

Minister of Environment Nabiel Makarim issued a decree
demanding that the project be discontinued after a commission of
the environmental impact assessment made a revision to the
project's analysis, an environmental recommendation made during
the administration of former president Soeharto, which had
authorized the project.

He said that so far the public had only talked about the
environmental impact once the project was completed, but they did
not say why and how it should be implemented.

Sutiyoso said other countries, such as Singapore and Japan, had
successfully reclaimed land in projects based on environmental
principles.

"We won't just reclaim land without considering the impact it
will have on the environment. The investors have a plan that
takes into consideration the environmental aspects," he said.

He noted that Jakarta needed to undertake the project to cater
to the needs of an increasing population and development. "It's
the only step we can take to provide more space for development.
We cannot spread out into the eastern, southern and western parts
of the city as they belong to other provinces (Banten and West
Java)," he said.