REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The government finally decided to suspend the controversial Jakarta bay reclamation project.

The government stopped short of bowing to growing public demand to cancel the big project of building 17 islands in the bay.

"We ask to suspend construction until all requirements and law regulations are fully met," Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli said.

Rizal said at a meeting also attended by the environment minister Siti Nurbaya, Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and officials of the marine and fisheries ministry, it was agreed to form a joint committee to find a solution to the controversy over the project.

The committee will make up of officials of the office of the coordinating minister for maritime, the environment ministry, the marine and fisheries ministry , the Jakarta city administration, the home affairs ministry and the state secretariat.

Siti Nurbaya among the problems to be solved related to analysis on environmental impact which needs to be completed.

The controversy over the real project surfaced when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested a number of people including leaders of PT Agung Podomoro Land Tbk and Agung Sedayu Group the developers of the project.

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