Public Lecture: The Politics of Land Reclamation in Jakarta

Date and venue

Date: Wednesday,  14 September 2019 at 5.45pm – 8.15pm
Venue: PAR – Old Arts 239 (North Theatre), The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010

Abstract

This public lecture explores the urban politics of land reclamation in Jakarta, Indonesia. Indonesia has 35 ongoing land-reclamation projects across the country, including in Jakarta Bay. The ambitious ‘17 islands’ part of the land reclamation project in Jakarta Bay began in 2015 under Basuki Tjahaja Purnama’s (Ahok) governorship, although a reclamation policy had been in operation since 1995. The project has been controversial as it has lacked transparency and public scrutiny, and many are critical of the significant role of the private sector in influencing the project, including well-known developers Agung Podomoro and Agung Sedayu.

New Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan initially stopped the reclamation project, but recently decided to allow it to continue. This lecture discusses politics surrounding the project, including the permit issues, minimal public participation, and the exclusion of the poor, who have experienced the worst impacts of the project.

Speakers

Dr. Amalinda Savirani 
Associate Professor, Department of Politics and Government
Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia

Dr. Amanda Achmadi
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning
The University of Melbourne, Australia