Fisheries Minister Says Owners of Tangerang Sea Wall to Be Fined Rp 18 Million Per Kilometer
AKARTA — Indonesia’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said owners of a 30.16-kilometer sea wall in Tangerang Regency, Banten, face fines totaling 540 million Indonesian rupiah, or approximately $35,800, for administrative violations. 1,200, per kilometer of the contested structure.
Trenggono, speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, clarified that the exact fine could vary depending on the area but emphasized the per-kilometer rate. “For 30 kilometers, it’s 18 million rupiah per kilometer,” he said.
He confirmed the fines stem from administrative breaches but added that criminal charges might follow if evidence of legal violations surfaces. “Once we confirm this, fines will be imposed as administrative sanctions. If criminal elements are found, it will be referred to law enforcement,” he said.
The ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning to investigate the sea wall after President Prabowo Subianto ordered a review. Agrarian Affairs Minister Nusron Wahid identified two parties suspected of involvement, though Trenggono did not disclose their names.
“Minister Nusron has already indicated two suspects, which will form the basis of further discussions,” Trenggono said. He added that the case could be resolved more swiftly if the government’s ocean big data system, still in development, were fully operational.
Earlier on Wednesday, Nusron revealed that 280 land certificates linked to the sea wall in Kohod Village had been discovered, including 263 building use rights certificates and 17 ownership certificates. Of these, 234 were registered under PT Intan Agung Makmur, 20 under PT Cahaya Inti Sentosa, and nine under individual owners.
Nusron said his ministry is reviewing the documents and plans to revoke certificates issued “beyond the shoreline” after cross-checking spatial data and shoreline maps. “We found certificates located under the sea,” he stated.
The case highlights Indonesia’s ongoing challenges in enforcing maritime and land-use regulations as the government seeks to curb unauthorized coastal developments.