Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) stated that the investigation into the case of the Tangerang sea fence in Banten has been completed.
The decision to stop the investigation came as the Indonesian National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) named four suspects, one of whom is the Head of the Village (Kades Kohod) Arsin bin Asip. KKP has imposed a fine of Rp48 billion on Arsin.
"Finally, through an investigation, two clear perpetrators were found who were proven to have actually carried out the fencing and have been subject to administrative sanctions," said the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Sakti Wahyu Trenggono during a working meeting with the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission IV on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
So, how did the case of the Tangerang sea fence develop from its initial discovery until the KKP stopped the investigation?
This case began to emerge in early January following complaints from the community who felt disturbed by the presence of a sea fence in the waters of Tangerang Regency, Banten. Fishermen claimed to have difficulty accessing the sea due to the presence of a bamboo fence spanning 30.16 kilometers, from Muncung Village to Pakuhaji Village.
Reported since August 2024
The head of the Banten Provincial Maritime and Fisheries Service (DKP), Eli Susiyanti, stated that they had actually received reports of the sea fence in that area in mid-August 2024. The DKP team then conducted a review at the location, and at that time, the length of the sea fence was still about 7 kilometers.
This sea fence sparked controversy as it was located in a public utilization area based on Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2023, covering various zones such as sea ports, capture fisheries, tourism, fishery ports, energy management, aquaculture, and intersecting with the offshore reservoir development plan initiated by Bappenas.
Public emergence early January
The DKP team, together with the Supervision and Surveillance Police (Polsus) from the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision (PSDKP) of the KKP, conducted another inspection in the field on September 4 to 5, 2024. Patrols were carried out again on September 18, 2024, involving the Tangerang Regency Fisheries Service and the All Indonesian Fishermen's Union (HNSI).
At that time, the Banten DKP requested that the installation activities of the fence be stopped. The length of the sea fence at that time had reached 13.12 kilometers. However, until January 2025, the installation of the sea fence continued and reached a length of 30.16 kilometers. The government only paid attention after various complaints arose, especially from the fishermen.
"When we went to sea at night, we were afraid of hitting the fence. We are always very careful when passing through," said one fisherman in Karang Serang Village, Tangerang Regency, who preferred not to be named, as quoted by Antara.
Removal of the sea fence
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono then stated that they would remove the sea fence if it did not have a Marine Spatial Activity Suitability (KKPRL) permit. They have requested the Directorate General of PSDKP of the KKP to directly observe the location.
"If it is proven that it does not have a permit, they will carry out dismantling related to the violation of the sea area usage permit. It will definitely be removed, meaning that the buildings there must be stopped," said Sakti.
Sealing of the Tangerang sea fence
The KKP then sealed the sea fence on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The sealing of the sea fence was carried out by a KKP team led by the Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resource Supervision Pung Nugroho Saksono or Ipunk. He stated that the sea fencing was illegal if referring to the basic KKPRL permit.
"At the moment, we are stopping the fencing activities while continuing to investigate who is responsible for this activity," said Ipunk on Thursday.
JRP's admission regarding the construction of the Tangerang sea fence
Amidst the speculation of who was behind the Tangerang sea fence, a group of people calling themselves the Pantura People's Network (JRP) emerged and claimed to be the ones who built it. Local residents are said to have collaborated to build the erosion-preventive sea fence.
"The sea fence that stretches along the northern coast of Tangerang Regency was intentionally built by the community," said JRP Coordinator Sandi Martapraja in Tangerang, Banten on Saturday, January 11, 2025, as reported by Antara.
Sandi's statement was responded to by Mulyanto, a politician from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) from Banten. The founder of the Indonesian Scientist and Technologist Association (MITI) referred to the sea fence as having a negative impact on the fishermen. Therefore, he said, the statement that the sea fence was beneficial was contradictory.
"The existence of the sea fence forces the fishermen to go further out to sea, which ultimately increases operating costs. Officially, they have conveyed this complaint to the Indonesian Ombudsman. The Ombudsman has even calculated the annual losses of the fishermen," he said on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
He also addressed the costs of building the sea fence, which amounted to nearly Rp500,000 per meter, or around Rp15 billion in total. He stated that it was highly unlikely for the community to afford such a large amount of money for public purposes, which should be the responsibility of the state. Moreover, the current economic condition of the community is very concerning.
Dismantling of the sea fence
President Prabowo Subianto then instructed the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) to dismantle the sea fence in Tangerang. This was conveyed by the Head of Information of TNI AL First Admiral I Made Wira Hady, when contacted on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
"This task is a direct instruction from President Prabowo through the TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto to us," he said.
First held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, and having been stopped several times, the 30.16-kilometer sea fence was finally completely dismantled on Thursday, December 13, 2025. The dismantling event was directly closed by Commander of the Marine Corps (Danpasmar) I, Brigadier General TNI Hermanto, at Tanjung Pasir Beach, Tangerang Regency.
"Today, there remains 1.36 kilometers of sea fence and we have completed it, and it is all clear, and thank God the weather is quite clear. Today is the closing of the sea fence dismantling process," said Hermanto, last Thursday.
Why was Kades Kohod implicated?
Arsin bin Sanip, as the Kades of Kohod in Pakuhaji District, Tangerang, came under public scrutiny after the dismantling of the sea fence. The Kohod village community referred to him as an 'exceptional village head' and a 'favorite of officials' who always took the lead in defending the sea fence in the waters of his government village. A video of him on social media seemingly acting as the foreman of the sea fence went viral.
He also made controversial statements when debating with the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning (ATR) and the Head of the National Land Agency (BPN), Nusron Wahid, on January 24, 2025. Arsin stated that the sea fence area was formerly a pond, which is why it was fenced with bamboo. Nusron denied this, stating that the area fell into the category of vanished land as it was not visible physically.
Since accompanying Nusron, residents of Kohod Village revealed that Kades Kohod had disappeared and never went to the office, even though it was only 500 meters away from his home. KKP had called Arsin in his capacity as the Head of Kohod Village to provide information regarding the sea fence in Tangerang. However, he did not respond to the call.
"There was a summons for Kades Kohod, but he didn't show up," said Special Staff of the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Doni Ismanto Darwin, when contacted on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
Witness examination
Special Staff of the KKP, Dedi Irawan, stated that the Director General of Marine and Fisheries Resource Supervision had examined 13 witnesses related to the illegal sea fence case in the Tangerang Sea as of January 31, 2025. According to Dedi, these 13 people included Kades Kohod and two representatives of JRP who had claimed to be community self-help groups that installed the sea fence.
"Also witnesses who, according to our field team, know and are related to the incident," said Dedi in Jakarta, Friday, January 31, 2025.
Then, by February 10, the police had examined 44 witnesses in a case of alleged forgery of documents used to process the Building Use Rights Certificate (SHGB) and Ownership Certificate (SHM) for the Tangerang sea fence, Banten.
Suspicion of criminal acts
Prior to this, the Tangerang Regency Land Office stated that the area of the sea fence already had SHGB and SHM certificates with details: 234 SHGB plots in the name of PT. Intan Agung Makmur (PT. IAM), 20 SHGB plots in the name of PT. Cahaya Inti Sentosa (PT. CIS), nine SHGB plots in the name of individuals, and 17 SHM plots from certificates.
The police found indications that the certified sea area owned by several companies and individuals was allegedly obtained using girik and other fake ownership documents. In addition to the alleged document forgery, investigators are examining the misuse of authority in issuing certificates. These actions potentially lead to money laundering offenses.
"Our preliminary suspicion is that the submission of SHGB and SHM used those fake girik and other ownership documents," said the Director of General Crime Investigation of the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Djuhandani Rahardjo Puro, to reporters at his office on Monday, February 10, 2025.
Naming of suspects
On Monday night, February 10, 2025, investigators from the Directorate of General Crime Investigation (Dittipidum) of the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency then searched the office and house of Arsin in Pakuhaji District, Tangerang Regency, Banten. This search was carried out involving the ranks of the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, the Central Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor), and local police officers.
Following the search, the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency named four suspects in a case of alleged land document forgery in the Tangerang sea fence area on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. The four suspects are the Kades Kohod, the Secretary of Kohod Village Ujang Karta, and two power of attorney recipients, Septian Prasetyo and Candra Eka, from the Septian Wicaksono Law Firm. They have been detained by the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency since Monday night, February 24, 2025.
"We have decided to detain these four suspects starting tonight so they won't flee, destroy evidence, and repeat their actions," said Djuhandhani.
Implications of Kades Kohod's actions
According to Djuhandhani, the land document forgery committed by the suspects involves several document letters for requests for land rights in the area enclosed by the Tangerang sea fence. The suspects together created and used fake letters such as girik, letters of physical possession of land plots, sworn affidavit letters, and power of attorney letters for handling certificates in the name of Kohod Village residents.
"These letters were used by Arsin bin Asip and his associates to process the issuance of 263 Building Use Rights Certificates at the Tangerang Regency Land Office. All document forgery was carried out by the suspects from December 2023 to November 2024," said Djuhandhani.
KKP stops investigation
Most recently, Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono revealed that the investigation into the Tangerang sea fence case has been completed. Based on the examination and evidence available, Trenggono said that the KKP had identified Kades Kohod and his employees as the responsible parties and imposed a fine of Rp48 billion.
"A fine of Rp48 billion has been imposed in accordance with the area and size," he said.
Termination of the investigation raises questions
The termination of the investigation into the Tangerang Sea Fence case by the KKP following the naming of several suspects has attracted attention from various parties. The KKP's investigation should have been able to further reveal the actors involved in the illegal sea fencing. They believe there are several anomalies.
One of these suspicions was voiced by a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the National Awakening Party (PKB), Daniel Johan. He questioned the urgency and purpose of a village head building a 30.16-kilometer sea fence. He also questioned the reason Kades Kohod was designated as the responsible party in this case.
"We understand that Kades Kohod was arrested for falsifying documents. I haven't heard that it was for installing the sea fence," he said in the Indonesian parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
Secretary General of the People's Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA) Susan Herawati also noted some anomalies. According to her, it is unlikely that a village head and staffers could fund the construction of a sea fence that stretches for dozens of kilometers without other parties as donors.
Susan Herawati also highlighted the lack of sanctions from the KKP for officials of the Tangerang Regency Land Office under the Ministry of ATR/BPN. According to Susan, government officials must have played a role in issuing SHGB certificates above the sea. Susan believes that the KKP's investigation should have uncovered their roles.
"It shouldn't just be Arsin (Kades Kohod) who is implicated. Also the people from the ATR/BPN, there is no way the ATR/BPN didn't know," said Susan.
Meanwhile, AS Laksana, a writer and essayist from Semarang, also questioned the KKP's investigation for not addressing several companies that chose the Building Utilization Rights Certificates (HGB) in the waters of Tangerang.
"Initially, suspicions were directed at the companies and individuals who owned SHGB certificates in the sea. Why was it suddenly directed at the village head?" said Sulak, his nickname, on Friday, February 28, 2025.
– Yudono Yanuar, Raden Putri, Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Nandito Putra, Rachel Farahdiba Regar, Dede Leni Mardianti, and Annisa Febiola contributed for this article.