TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan said that the government has no reason to halt the Jakarta Bay reclamation project as the project has not been canceled yet.
In response to the promise made by Anies Baswedan saying that he will not continue the reclamation project once he officially takes office, Minister Luhut said, “If we don’t do it, Jakarta land will subside by 8 centimeters to 23 centimeters.”
However, Luhut asserted that rejections against the reclamation project would only cause more severe flood issues in Jakarta.
“If Jakarta sinks then [Anies Baswedan] will be held accountable for it,” Luhut said today.
Luhut explained that the reclamation project had been initiated during President Soeharto’s era, and President Joko Widodo or Jokowi is merely following up the existing policy.
“Don’t blame President Jokowi. He’s only executing president Soeharto’s presidential decree, which has a strong legal basis,” Luhut said.
Anies Baswedan previously paid a visit to the fish auction center located at Cilincing, North Jakarta. The Jakarta governor-elect asserted during his campaign that he will refuse the reclamation project if he becomes the next Jakarta governor. Anies argues the importance of the pro-sea campaign.
“I would like to remind us all that Jakarta doesn’t only consist of land,” Anies said in February.
ADITYA BUDIMAN | CHITRA PARAMAESTI
