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.