TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia Resources Studies (IRESS) director Marwan Batubara views that the government must halt the reclamation project as it has more disadvantages than benefits to the public.

“The government must stop the Jakarta Bay Reclamation project. From various aspects, the project will cause more disadvantages than benefits for the state and the people,” Marwan said in a seminar held at the Senayan Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta today, Nov. 2.

According to Marwan, the project can have significant impacts on the environment and is not the solution to prevent land subsidence in Jakarta.

Read: JK Challenges Anies Baswedan to Find Solution to Reclamation

Muslim Muin, a marine engineering expert with the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in fact can accelerate the land subsidence in Jakarta.

“The Jakarta Bay Reclamation project can damage the environment, burden the regional budget, and cause fishermen to lose their source of income,” he said.

Indonesian Traditional Fishermen’s Association (KNTI) member Martin Hadiwinata said the reclamation project caused disadvantages for fishermen.

“The reclamation area is situated on the fishing ground, causing the declining number of fishes,” Martin revealed.

NINIS CHAIRUNNISA