T

he central government has decided to suspend the implementation of the controversial National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD), also known as the Jakarta reclamation, pending an evaluation.

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry'€™s (KKP) director general for marine, coastal and small island affairs, Sudirman Saad, said over the weekend that a recent meeting led by Coordinating Economic Minister Sofyan Djalil, agreed to halt the program, which was initiated in 1995.

Sudirman said the Research and Technology Ministry had been ordered to review the plan drafted in conjunction with the Netherlands.

'€œThe ministry is tasked with gathering maritime experts to evaluate the program,'€ he said.

Sudirman said the decision was made as the central government questioned the viability of the project. '€œThe NCICD was created to solve the flooding problem in Jakarta. However, why are they [the city administration] trying to solve the problem by building property?'€ he said.

Sudirman was referring to Jakarta Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama'€™s gubernatorial decree issued in last December that gave developer PT Muara Wisesa Samudra, a subsidiary of PT Agung Podomoro, a permit to build '€œPluit City'€ on Islet G, one of the man-made islets planned in the NCICD.

Sudirman said the program was also halted as two regional administrations '€” West Java and Tangerang '€” had conveyed their objections to the project. They also refused to supply sea sand for the project.

The NCICD project is divided into three phases and includes building a sea wall as well as the development of 17 artificial islets off the coast of the city.

The execution of the project has been delayed for several years. However, in October 2014, then coordinating economic minister Chairul Tanjung launched the first phase of the project only 10 days before his tenure ended.

Then governor Fauzi Bowo issued all principal permits for the islets and an implementation permit for PT Kapuk Naga Indah for Islet C, D and E.

Other developers planning to build the islets include city-owned property developer PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro), city-owned PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, PT Intiland Development'€™s subsidiary Taman Harapan Indah and PT Jaladri Kartika Ekapasi.

Sudirman said the permit was not supposed to be issued by the governor but by the central government.

'€œAccording to Government Regulation No. 26/2008 on national strategic regions, the permit on land reclamation should be issued either by the transportation minister or the KKP,'€ he said.

He said the city administration had used Presidential Decree No. 52/1995 on land reclamation on Jakarta'€™s coast as the legal basis to issue the Pluit City permit. '€œHowever, the decree does not refer to permits but the formation of a coastal reclamation implementation agency,'€ he said.

The director said Ahok had also not coordinated with his ministry in issuing the permit.

'€œWe found out that the development permit had been issued when the developer promoted the plan in the newspapers,'€ he said.

Sudirman said he called on the city administration to complete the bylaw on the spatial planning and zoning of coastal areas in order to regulate projects like land reclamation. The bylaw would be derived from Law No. 1/2014 on the management of coastal areas and small islands.

'€œWe do not object to the plan. However, because it involves and affects many aspects, it is better if the implementation is conducted properly,'€ he said.

Ahok said he issued the implementation permit because it was related to the previous permit, issued by Fauzi. He claimed his administration had coordinated with the relevant ministries regarding the program.

Agung Podomoro Land corporate secretary Justini Omas said the company aimed to finish developing the islet in three years.

Justini, however, declined to elaborate on the development plan. '€œIt will be a housing complex,'€ she said, adding that the company would comply with all the conditions required by the city administration.