TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the government would proceed with the reclamation of Jakarta Bay to build two islands, C and D, out of the total 14 islands planned to be constructed previously.

"The government did not say that it (the reclamation project) would be continued, but it has stated that the running project would be continued, and I think the Jakarta administration has agreed to this," Kalla stated on Tuesday.

According to Kalla, the decision to continue the running project had been discussed between the central and Jakarta administrations by taking its efficiency into account.

"We had been discussing about the existing project, as it is impossible to demolish them. It would be more costly to demolish them than to continue with the construction," he added.

Kalla admitted that he had been informed by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan about the decision.

Read also: Anies Baswedan Faces Huge Task to Stop Jakarta Bay Reclamation

"I have told Baswedan that the islands must provide more benefit to the public and the government as well," he noted.

Therefore, Kalla reiterated that the government would focus on the completion of construction of C and D Islands and manage its use to benefit local people as well as the Jakarta government.

"There is no other way; we cannot demolish them. If we fail to use them, they will be wrecked, but if we use them, they would be maintained," he continued.

On Aug 24, the North Jakarta land registry office issued the Building Rights on Land (HGB) certificate for Island D, constructed by reclaiming Jakarta Bay, on behalf of PT Kapuk Naga Indah.

The certificate was issued following the issuance of the Rights to Manage Land (HPL) certificate for the island on behalf of the Jakarta government on June 19.

The issuance of the HGB certificate for D Island is based on the cooperation agreement between the Jakarta administration and PT Kapuk Naga Indah regarding the reclamation, which stipulated that the developer would get the certificate.

ANTARA