President Never Issued Jakarta Bay Reclamation Permit

Muara Gembong, W Java, (Antara Sumbar) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said he never issued a permit for Jakarta Bay reclamation project when he was the Jakarta governor and the Indonesian president.

"As the president, I have never issued a reclamation permit," he said, while inspecting the shrimp pond in Muara Gembong sub-district, Bekasi district, West Java, on Wednesday.

He further clarified the Jakarta Governor's Regulation No. 146 concerning the reclamation project.

He stated that he also never issued a reclamation permit while he was the Jakarta governor.

"The gubernatorial regulation serves as a reference to apply for a permit rather than to realize reclamation," he noted.

Earlier, Vice President Jusuf Kalla remarked that the government will complete the Jakarta Bay reclamation process for man-made islands, which are being developed. They are Islands C and D, which are part of the 14 islands in the project.

"The government has not said that it will continue (the project). But it will carry on with what it has been doing, and I think the Jakarta administration will agree to it," he revealed at his office on Tuesday.

Kalla stated that the central government and the Jakarta administration have discussed the decision to continue the existing project on the basis of efficiency.

"We only discussed about the existing project. It is unlikely to demolish it as the demolition cost will be higher than the construction cost," he remarked.

Kalla added that the Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had explained the decision to him.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, on Oct 5 issued a Ministerial Decree No S-78-001/02/Coordinating Minister/Maritime/X/2017 to revoke a decree on the moratorium of Jakarta Bay reclamation project, issued in 2016 by his predecessor, Rizal Ramli.

According to Panjaitan, the moratorium was officially lifted as developers had fulfilled several requirements demanded by Ramli.

The requirements included a revision to the Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal), taking into account technical designs for power plant pipes, sedimentation mitigation, and sailing routes for traditional fishermen. (*)

Editor: Vicha Faradika