Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (Menko IPK), Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), has revealed the government’s plan to build a US$50 billion (Rp809.5 trillion) giant sea wall on Java Island to protect the island’s coastline from flooding and land subsidence.
The idea of developing mega-infrastructure is the result of long-term thinking, which requires the government to continue to conduct feasibility studies to ensure the relevance and benefits of the project.
“This giant sea wall is not a new idea in the last year or two, but actually it has been around for quite a long time and we are currently studying it further, opening previously existing documents including the feasibility study conducted in the previous era, to re-study whether it is still relevant or whether there are things that we need to continue to improve,” AHY said on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
The initial stage of the giant sea wall construction will be focused on the 21-kilometer North coast of Jakarta. AHY said this project is a priority to overcome the threat of tidal flooding and land subsidence in the capital.
However, AHY admitted that the project faces major challenges in terms of funding. The government is still looking for credible sources of funding for the construction of the mega-infrastructure, including considering a government-business cooperation scheme.
“We are facing budget constraints here and there, we have to look for credible funding sources, we will continue to think about this. Of course, we are waiting for the President’s direction, the government cannot do it alone, we involve or want to strengthen the government cooperation scheme and investment business entities, we must present both from within and outside the country,” he said.
In the future, this giant sea wall project is also planned for other coastal areas on the north coast of Java Island, such as Semarang and Demak in Central Java, to face similar problems.
“It’s not just Jakarta that experiences tidal flooding and land subsidence. Areas such as Semarang, Demak, and the north coast of Java as a whole also face similar natural challenges. This is our concern to protect coastal communities,” AHY concluded.
