Sutiyoso to pursue reclamation project

Sutiyoso to pursue reclamation project

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso has voiced his determination to go ahead with
the plan to reclaim land from the city's northern coast.

Amid criticism from two ministers concerned with the
environmental impact of the project, Sutiyoso stressed on Friday
that he would proceed with plans to reclaim some 2,700 hectares
of land from a 32-kilometer stretch along the north coast.

"Those who are developing Jakarta are not ministers," Sutiyoso
said.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rokhmin Danuri said
on Wednesday that land reclamation in the Jakarta Bay was not
feasible. He warned that the project would only add more pressure
to the present social and ecological problems of the city.

Rokhmin was the second minister to oppose the reclamation
plan. State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim has also
made similar comments.

Sutiyoso said the ministers' criticism would not change his
mind.

All the comments and statements from the ministers, experts
and observers will only be treated as input for the
implementation of the project, he said.

Earlier this year, Nabiel issued a ministerial decree that
opposed the project after studying a recommendation from the
central assessment commission on the Environmental Impact
Analysis (Amdal), which was submitted by the Jakarta Waterfront
Implementation Board (PB Pantura).

The central assessment commission showed there were a number
of environmental and social problems that could result from the
land reclamation project.

The first concern is the reclamation project could cause the
sea level to rise by up to 12 centimeters. Second, it could
create social tension as thousands of fishermen would lose their
jobs. Third, the project could damage the sea's fragile
ecosystem. The fourth concern is that it could worsen pollution
around the Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) regency.

Following the rejection of the project by the state minister
of the environment, the city environmental management agency
(BPLHD) prepared its own report without seeking the approval of
the central assessment commission.

Sutiyoso spoke on Friday in front of the ministers under the
coordinating minister for the economy to explain in detail the
project, which is expected to be implemented within 30 years.

The paper prepared for the meeting with the ministers shows
that 30 percent of the reclaimed land would be given to the city
administration, while 70 percent would be earmarked for companies
participating in the project.

PB Pantura chairman Mochamad Sidharta had disclosed earlier
that the reclaimed land would be used for luxury homes, hotels,
condominiums, industrial zones, business centers, shopping malls,
offices, a port and recreation areas.

Apart from reclaiming 2,700 hectares of land, the city
administration will also revitalize some 2,500 hectares of
coastal area. He said the revitalization effort could only be
implemented if the city benefits from the land reclamation
project.