JAKARTA - Land reclamation in the Ancol area will only benefit developers instead of the community, says Trisakti University urban planning analyst Dr Yayat Supriatna.
"Although Ancol beaches are public areas, they are operated privately and as such visitors need to pay an entrance fee. Ancol developers will benefit the most [from reclamation]," Dr Supriatna said as quoted from Antara, Monday (6/7).
In accordance with the Spatial Planning Law, he said, beaches are designated public spaces and thus should be accessible for free. He added that visitors should be able to enjoy public spaces in Ancol for free while still paying to use services from tenants and park vehicles, similar to the National Monument (Monas).
"If [the Jakarta Municipal Government] is committed to making Ancol available for free while maintaining cleanliness in the area and restricting visitors, the area will be very attractive," asserted Dr Supriatna, who teaches at Trisakti University's Faculty of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering.
Previously, Jakarta Governor issued Gubernatorial Decree No. 237/2020 on the Reclamation of Ancol, which includes land expansion of 120 ha for Ancol Dreamland and 35 ha for the Dunia Fantasi theme park.
In addition, the municipal government also plans to build new recreation areas on the reclaimed land, including a museum of Islamic prophets and children's playgrounds.
The decision has incited controversy due to Mr Baswedan's campaign promise of opposing reclamation in Jakarta Bay during the 2017 gubernatorial election. A number of community groups, including fishermen, is urging Mr Baswedan to keep his promise, which then managed to attract support from fisherman groups in North Jakarta.
"Let's not play around. Fishermen from Kamal Muara to Marunda fought with their blood for Anies to win the governorship," Jakarta Fishermen's Communication Forum Chairman Muhammad Tahir said on Sunday (5/7).
In addition, the North Jakarta Community Forum has also slammed the municipal government's plan to build an Islamic museum on the reclaimed land, a move seen as an attempt to use religion to protect political interests.
"They are building a museum of the Prophet's sacred history on a leader's broken promise to oppose reclamation," North Jakarta Community Forum Chairman Sandi Suryadinata said.
"Stop playing the Muslim card. How many hectares are required for the museum? The rest [of the reclaimed land] will be used for economic and political interests." (MS)