Hashim Says Prabowo Will Build A 700 Km Giant Sea Embankment From Banten-East Java

Presidential Envoy for Climate and Energy Hashim Sujono Djjohadikusumo (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto has decided to build a giant sea embankment 700 km from Banten to East Java.

This was conveyed by the Presidential Envoy for Climate and Energy Hashim Sujono Djojohadikusumo quoting Antara, Saturday, February 1.

"The Prabowo government has decided to implement several programs, including the construction of a giant sea embankment 700 km from Banten to East Java," said Hashim quoting Antara.

The program, said Hashim, aims to protect the rice fields located on the north coast of Java Island. He highlighted public concerns about the sea fence incident, where fishermen felt threatened with sea level rise.

"This is all caused by the problem of climate change," he said.

Hashim explained that the giant sea embankment had been designed since 1994, because the New Order Government had seen a threat in the form of sea level rise. However, it has not been executed until now.

Hashim estimates that the giant sea embankment construction project will take quite a long time, which is 10'20 years.

According to him, there is no point in making food estates in Kalimantan or Papua, if millions of rice fields are submerged because they are covered by rising sea water. Therefore, Hashim invited the community to support the construction of the giant embankment.

"It's never too late (it's never too late) for us to be determined to protect the millions of hectares of the most productive and most fertile rice fields. It is located on the north coast of Java Island," said Hashim.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto asked his staff to review the construction of the giant sea wall embankment which stretches from Jakarta to Cirebon as the 2025 National Strategic Program (PSN).

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto explained that the directive was based on the results of an internal meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto regarding the development of special economic zones (SEZs) and the completion of PSNs in 2024-2025.

Airlangga explained that later the construction of the giant Jakarta Cirebon sea embankment would be connected to the flood control embankment and tidal waves in Tambaklorok, Semarang, Central Java which had been built.

In the construction of the giant Jakarta Cirebon sea embankment, the President gave directions to be prepared by financing the Government and Business Entity Cooperation (PPP) scheme.

This giant sea embankment, said Airlangga, is included in the PSN 2025 list as an effort to realize energy and food security.