Wawan Kurniawan, Ilham Oktafian, Stefani Wijaya, Tangerang – The Indonesian Navy, supported by local fishermen, continued dismantling offshore bamboo barriers near Tangerang Regency on Thursday. The barriers, spanning 30 kilometers, have restricted fishing boat access and raised concerns about potential environmental damage, authorities said.

The Navy deployed approximately 750 soldiers for the operation, alongside 150 local fishermen who assisted in removing the barriers off the Tanjung Pasir coast. Nylon ropes tied to naval boats were used to pull the barriers and restore access to the area.

"We estimate that 9 kilometers of bamboo barriers have been cleared since Saturday. The barriers extend 30 kilometers on the surface, with additional bamboo structures planted underwater on the seabed," Navy spokesman Commodore Wira Hady Arsanta Wardhana said at the scene.

The barriers have sparked public debate and drawn responses from lawmakers and high-ranking government officials, including President Prabowo Subianto, who promptly ordered their removal.

Agung Sedayu property claim

Property developer Agung Sedayu Group has claimed ownership of the area enclosed by the barriers. According to Muannas Alaidid, a lawyer for the company, Agung Sedayu secured ownership certificates for the area in 1982, when it was still land before being submerged by rising sea levels.

The lawyer argued that Agung Sedayu remains the legal owner of the area, which has since turned into water. The company has conducted reclamation projects around the area that include the development of upscale residential and business districts known as Pantai Indah Kapuk 2.

"The certificates clearly specify land, not water, as the area used to be land before being eroded by sea abrasion," Muannas said. However, he did not confirm whether the company was behind the construction of the sea barriers.

Wider implications and investigations

Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono acknowledged that the issue of bamboo barriers in Tangerang is not an isolated incident. According to Sakti, there are 196 similar cases across Indonesian waters that have largely gone unnoticed by the media.

"This case has drawn particular attention because it's located near Jakarta," the minister said during a press conference at the legislature building in Jakarta.

Sakti admitted that his ministry has yet to determine who is responsible for the barriers in Tangerang, as investigations are still underway. He also highlighted other areas where similar barriers have been found, including Bekasi, Batam, Sidoarjo, and Surabaya. These barriers, he said, harm local economies by reducing fishing areas and causing ecological damage.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/navy-and-fishermen-dismantle-bamboo-barriers-off-tangeran