Indonesia Seeks Japanese Investment for Giant Seawall Project
President Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, has invited Japanese companies to invest in a monumental seawall project aimed at tackling land subsidence along Indonesia’s northern Java coast. Investment and Downstream Minister Rosan Roeslani revealed that the President made the invitation during a meeting with a delegation from the Japan-Indonesia Association at his Jakarta offices.
This ambitious project, spanning 600 kilometers, is a key priority for Jokowi’s administration. Despite the substantial financial commitment required, the government remains actively seeking investors to fund the seawall alongside other significant programs, including Jokowi’s signature free-meal initiative.
Seeking Collaboration and Flexibility
Addressing potential collaboration scenarios, Rosan highlighted the government’s openness to various partnerships, including business-to-business agreements, government-to-government initiatives, or public-private partnerships. Further talks regarding funding and project specifications are anticipated to follow a meeting between President Jokowi and business leaders from the Jakarta Japan Club.
“We are open to various forms of cooperation. We hope these large Japanese companies will contribute to construction, engineering, and of course, the funding,” stated Rosan, who also serves as the Head of the Investment Coordinating Board.
Previous Interest and Project Scope
The seawall project has already garnered interest from financiers, with businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo, President Jokowi’s brother, previously stating that companies from China, South Korea, and the Netherlands have expressed interest.
Initial plans entail constructing a 40km section stretching from Banten to Bekasi in West Java, passing through Jakarta. This initial phase, estimated to cost 123 trillion rupiah (approximately US$7.7 billion) over eight years, aims to serve as a pilot project.
Historical Context and Criticism
This ambitious seawall project was initially conceived by former president Soeharto in 1994. President Jokowi has revitalized the concept, emphasizing its crucial role in flood mitigation and addressing Jakarta’s vulnerability to rising sea levels.
However, the project has faced criticism from experts who argue that a seawall alone cannot solve Jakarta’s land subsidence issue. They contend that the government overlooks pressing human-made factors contributing to the problem, such as excessive groundwater extraction, the weight of high-rise buildings, industrial activities, and port operations.
Critics further warn that constructing such a massive seawall could potentially worsen land subsidence by adding to the existing infrastructure burden, which they identify as the root cause of the problem.