Jakarta – ASIAN CITIES RESEARCH

After gaining independence from the dutch government, Jakarta began to set up new city centre by establishing a new monument that signifies the independence and a focal point of the upcoming urban development of Jakarta… the development is more east-west oriented since there is a huge water reservoir lying at the south of Jakarta which is an important source of water supply to the area. However, the development has faced a critical problem as it has expanded far beyond the city of Jakarta itself. In fact, the development is under the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area comprising three regencies and five cities. Thus, territorial difference is then an issue since the pace of development of different regions is not the same. In order to bridge the gap, extensive infrastructure projects are set up alongside and the rural areas are forced to be evicted to give way to the so-called urban planning. People lost their homes and jobs in the farmland and eventually live in the squatter areas that are not yet interrupted.

– Chi Wang Chau, “The Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area,” 2014

Narratives

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse VII: For the Public, Voices of the “Public”

Tan Regina Tania

“We are powerless. No matter who we talk to, it is all the same for us.” Centering on the socio-environmental debate of Jakarta Bay Reclamation is the welfare of the fishermen community. They are constantly mentioned from the debate of the experts, the government, Environmental Impact Assessments, and even the government regulations. Activists, Minister of Environment, ...

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse VI: For the Public, Who is the Public? [Part Two: Debate of Experts]

Tan Regina Tania

Anies Baswedan took office as Jakarta’s Governor for the 2017-22 term after winning against the incumbent administration led by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok). Following his electoral promise, he proceeded to stop all reclamation activities in Jakarta. The Jakarta Bay Reclamation project was discontinued intermittently until 2018, through the issuance of Governor’s Decree that cancels the ...

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse V: For the Public, Who is the Public? [Part One: Governor Electoral Debate]

Tan Regina Tania

The Jakarta Bay Reclamation in general posed a clear environmental threat, as conducted from studies by experts. Yet, it still becomes a chosen solution for many urban issues in Jakarta. Aside from ecological issues, political debates also question the actors benefitting from the policy. Reclamation remains a hot issue in the political discourse of Jakarta, so ...

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse IV: Corruption and Stagnation (2015-2017)

Tan Regina Tania

The 17 islets of Jakarta Bay Reclamation is already recorded in the 2014 Detailed Spatial Plans and Zoning Regulations for 2030. Further details of the plan still remained to be discussed, which is carried out in the 2015 Draft Plan. The draft has yet to be realized, due to the surrounding controversy on the reclamation ...

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse III: Roles of the Activists

Tan Regina Tania

Activist, Experts, and Government Within the Jakarta Bay Reclamation discourse, there are some NGOs that have popped up here and there, notably: The Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI), People’s Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA), and Save Jakarta Bay Coalition (KSTJ). Even from the names alone, it is apparent that these organizations are contra-reclamation. During updates on ...

Jakarta Bay Reclamation – A 35-Year Long Policy Discourse II: Rising Ecological Concerns

Tan Regina Tania

The Central Government (President and Ministry), Provincial Government, Developers, Experts Following the issuance of the 1995 Presidential Decree, the first policy dispute emerged in 2003 when the Ministry of Environment issued a decree titled “Inadequacy of the North Coast Reclamation and Revitalization Plan” which revoked the reclamation plan based on the absence of Environmental Impact Assessment. ...

Mapping Jakarta, Giant Sea World: Chapter Four (Finale) – Flood War (JUFMP vs GSW)

Setiawan Jason

CHAPTER FOUR – FLOOD WAR As the finale of this series, discussion of environmental impacts and design implementation of the two contemporary projects The Jakarta Urgent Flood Mitigation Project (JUFMP) and The Giant Sea Wall Project (GSW) is debated. Contested narratives and alternative design strategies challenging the two are analyzed and points of intersection and the ...

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