Jakarta, Ekuatorial – As President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has repeatedly stated for Indonesia to return as a strong maritime country, the sentiment was hailed positively by activists who are currently protesting against reclamation of Benoa Bay.
“In relation to president’s inagural speech, we are hoping that [president] Jokowi can pay attention to what we are fighting which is movement against Benoa Bay reclamation plan. It’s the same with his speech to protect the bay, we are also in the same fight t protect Benoa Bay,” said Wayan “Gendo” Suardana, coordinator ForBali, to ekuatorial recently.
On his inaugural speech, President Jokowi stressed out that Indonesia has been leaving seas, oceans, straits and bays for too long. “This is the moment where we can return where “Jalesveva Jayamahe”, at sea we’re victorious as our slogan,” he said.
Gendo said that they demanded for revoking the 2014 presidential regulation on city spatial planning for Denpasar-Badung-Gianyar-Tabanan, known as Sarbagita, which served as revision from the 2011 presidential regulation.
The presidential regulation was blasted as making way for Benoa Bay reclamation which would degraded coastal areas. In addition, it had also erased clauses on the 700 hectares of areas as conservation area.
“If we heard from President Jokowi’s speech who wanted to protect Indonesian waters, including straits and bays then these regulations must be revoked as they were against his ideas,” said Gendo.
He said that there has not been any specific discussion with the president on the issue but they handed over paper works and documents related to the case. The first time was done at volunteer gathering in Bali where ForBali activists have managed to break through presidential security to hand over the documents. Second, on the 98 Activists Reunion in Bali, and the last was through Anies Baswedan, representing President Jokowi at that time, at an environmental national conference in Jakarta.
“We have faith that our voices are heard by Jokowi and hoping that he could revoke those regulations immediately and stop Benoa Bay reclamation plan,” he said. Monica Dian Adelina