TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Fishermen of the Jakarta Bay filed another lawsuit against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to the East Jakarta State Administrative Court on Thursday, January 21, 2016. The lawsuit was made following Ahok's decision to grant reclamation permits for F, I, and K islands on the Bay.

"[Ahok] issued the permit in secret, without any announcement," said M. Taher, one of the fishermen who is also the Chairman of the Regional Executive Council of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Coalition (KNTI) on Thursday, January 21, 2016.

Taher said that Ahok favors businesses more than traditional fishermen who had been living on the Jakarta Bay for years. Taher added that the reclamation activities had caused troubles for local fishermen.

Instead of reclamation, Taher explained, local fishermen hoped that the Jakarta government would help by maintaining the environment by cleaning garbage and wastes in Jakarta's rivers. "Right now the government has made no such effort," Taher said.

Previously, the KNTI had also filed a lawsuit regarding the same matter together with the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) and the Jakarta Legal Aid Agency.

DIKO OKTARA