REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA –The President of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Mohamad Sohibul Iman, had a special notion for the reclamation project in Jakarta Bay. He hoped the underway project would not aimed at providing an elite housing in the capital city. “If there was reclamation there, developing an elite housing, it meant Jakarta was no longer belonged to us together," said Sohibul in a release on Monday.

Sohibul also reminded that one of the most important things was togetherness. Therefore, Jakarta could not be developed by only a political party or a society group. It should be built together. "This was not good because we want to restore public spaces. Because it belongs to us." 

An observer on marine and fisheries sector, Abdul Halim, also stated his opinion about reclamation. He said the Parliament needed to give more support to the Minister of Marine and Fisheries Affairs, Susi Pudjiastuti, who refused the reclamation before developers adhere the existing terms and conditions. "The Parliament need to affirm it by an official letter,” said Abdul Halim who also served as the Executive Director of the Center of Maritime Studies for Humanities. 

According to Halim, reffering to Law No. 1 in 2014 on the Management of Coastal Area and Small Islands, there was an authority of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries Affairs (KKP) which was being violated by the Government of Jakarta. There were also a number of considerations related to socio-economic aspecta, so the reclamation in Jakarta Bay was recently considered as not feasible. 

Previously, the Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives, Herman Khaeron, appreciated the steps taken by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries Affairs, Susi Pudjiastuti. The minister insisted not to give permission to the reclamation project in the north coastal of Jakarta. “I appreciated the decision of the minister to remain not giving permission to the reclamation of the Jakarta Bay, to meet the rules and regulations,” said Herman in Jakarta on Tuesday (Jan 17).

Herman who is a politician of Democratic Party argued that it was a careful step in accordance to the existing regulation. It was important so it would not be a bad precedent as the rule was broken in the interest of certain parties. 

The Coalition to Save Jakarta Bay also refused the regulation of Jakarta Governor No. 206 in 2016 on the urban design guidelines for islands resulted from reclamation in strategic area in North Coastal. "The regulation no. 206/2016 was issued unilaterally without participation of both citizens and the environmental organizations which were concerned on the environmental protection,” said the Deputy of Law and Police of the coalition, Rosiful Amirudin. 

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