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espite protests from activists and a recommendation from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry to suspend the project for evaluation, the Jakarta administration will continue with a controversial coastal reclamation project to create 17 man-made islets.

Assistant to the regional secretary for development Mara Oloan Siregar insisted that the Jakarta administration was responsible for the reclamation project.

'€œAccording to Presidential Decree No. 52/1995 on Jakarta'€™s north coast reclamation, the Jakarta governor is fully responsible for issuing permits on the reclamation project. Further, the city administration will own the islets and will be responsible for managing them,'€ Oloan told a press conference at City Hall in Central Jakarta on Monday. Thus, he said, the governor and the city administration'€™s decision was to continue with the project, despite protests.

The development of the 17 artificial islets is part of the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD), also known as the Giant Sea Wall. The project aims to '€œrestore flood safety and provide a sustainable future for the capital'€.

The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry previously questioned the viability of the reclamation project, and recommended the project be suspended for further evaluation.

The ministry ordered the Research and Technology and Higher Education Ministry to review the plan drafted in conjunction with the Netherlands. Minister Susi Pudjiastuti also asked the city administration to develop reservoirs before starting construction of the man-made islets.

Companies involved in the reclamation project thus far include PT Kapuk Naga Indah, city-owned property developer PT Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro), city-owned PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol, PT Inti-
land Development'€™s subsidiary Taman Harapan Indah, PT Agung Podomoro subsidiary PT Muara Wisesa Samudera and PT Jaladri Kartika Ekapasi.

Oloan acknowledged that through Presidential Regulation No. 122/2012 on coastal reclamation and small islands, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry had the responsibility for issuing reclamation permits for islands of more than 25 hectares.

However, he said, the regulation made no mention of the Presidential Decree No. 52/1995, thus did not nullify it. '€œThe city administration and the ministry have different perceptions. This is what caused the disagreement,'€ he said.

Jakarta Development Planning Board (Bappeda) head Tuti Kusumawati said the city administration was currently preparing four bylaws that would regulate the north coast and its islands.

She said the bylaws were being drafted, and hoped they would be approved by councilors this year.

'€œThrough the bylaws, we will categorize the north coast into certain zones. We will also regulate the kinds of activities that can be carried out in each zone, such as commercial activities, fishing and so forth,'€ Tuti said.

Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said the city administration and Muara Wisesa Samudra had started technical discussions on the man-made islets. Late last year, Ahok issued a gubernatorial decree that gave Muara Wisesa Samudra a permit to build '€œPluit City'€ on Islet G, one of the man-made islets planned in the reclamation project.