TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said on Wednesday that the reclamation project in Jakarta must not break any existing laws or regulations.

"There must not be any violation of existing laws and regulations in the implementation of this project," cabinet secretary Pramono Anung said after a limited cabinet meeting on Jakarta reclamation project at the presidents office.

In this context, the President has asked all ministries/state institutions concerned, including the Ministry of Environmental Affairs, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Order/head of National Land Agency to synchronize their work so as to avoid legal problems in the future.

He said the President also requested that a key master plan be prepared clearly to respond to any environmental problems that may affect sea biota, mangroves and other aspects.

"The President emphasized that the project would be useless if it does not benefit the people, especially the local fishermen," he said.

Pramono said the project must be fully controlled and directed by the government, in this case the central government and regional governments (Jakarta, Banten and West Java).

"The reclamation activity carried out so far will be reviewed following a temporary moratorium. In this connection, the governors of Jakarta, Banten and West Java must synchronize their decision making, integrate all regulations and submit these to the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) to be incorporated into the joint master plan," he said.

The meeting was attended by governors of Jakarta, Banten and West Java, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and the concerned cabinet ministers.

The project will later be called "Garuda Project." Pramono said the project is actually different from the Jakarta Bay reclamation project covering 17 isles.

President Joko Widodo has issued directives and asked the National Development Planning Board to complete the big project during the six-month moratorium to be integrated with the 17-isles reclamation project.

The project had triggered a controversy after a regional law maker was caught receiving bribes from a developer involved in the project.

ANTARA