KNTI Urges Govt to Revoke Permit for Jakarta Bay Reclamation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Coalition (KNTI) has urged the government to revoke the environmental permit for islets C, D and G in Jakarta Bay. Islets C and D are developed by PT Kapuk Naga Indah, while islet G is developed by PT Muara Wisesa Samudra.

“The developers of the three islets do not have the KLHS [Strategic Environmental Assessment], besides, their 120 days moratorium has expired,” said the KNTI official Marthin Hadiwinata on Thursday, November 3.

According to Marthin, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (KLHS), which developers claimed to have conducted, did not involve residents and the results were never been announced. He said that the KNTI has called for a revocation of the permit for islet G as it directly affects fishermen.

Marthin referred to the Environmental Affairs Ministry’s Regulation No. 2/2013 on Guidelines for Administrative Sanctions for Environmental Protection and Management.

The regulation holds that environmental permit may be revoked if developers fail to adhere to the requirement set by the Ministry in specified times.

The Environmental Affairs Ministry has given time for developers of islets C, D, and G to improve their reclamation documentations until December 2016.

“Should [developers] fail to fulfill their obligations, their permit will be revoked,” the Ministry’s Directorate General of Environmental and Forest Law Enforcement Rasio Ridho Sani said.

Rasio pointed to PT Kapuk Naga Indah in islets C and D, as well as PT Muara Wisesa Samudra in islet G. The three islets had been on a spotlight due to some violations in their reclamation arrangements. The government had even halted construction of Islet G before the decision was later overturned.

In May 2016, the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry Siti Nurbaya imposed a 120 days moratorium on Kapuk Naga and Muara Wisesa. Both had been told to, among others, explain the source and amount of sandstone used to construct the islets in the reclamation projects.

The Ministry had also required the two companies to synchronize the completed environmental impact assessment (amdal) of the islets with the study of the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development conducted by the National Planning and Development Agency (Bappenas).

The 120 days moratorium had expired before the completion of Bappenas’ NCICD study, also known as giant sea wall project. The study is currently in the President’s hand.

Rasio said that additional time has been given for Kapuk Naga and Muara Wisesa to promptly conclude the synchronization.

Alvin Andronicus, general manager marketing of Agung Podomoro Land, a parent company of Muara Wisesa, said that the company will do its homework during the extension allowed by the Minister. “We will use the available time as best possible,” he noted.

Management of Kapuk Naga, a subsidiary of property giant Agung Sedayu group, were unavailable for comment. 

GANGSAR PARIKESIT | DANANG FIRMANTO