6 Controversies of PIK 2 Project

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Pantai Indah Kapuk National Strategic Project (PSN) or PIK 2 has recently become a concern. Most recently, Member of Commission IV of the House of Representatives Firman Soebagyo agreed that the Pantai Indah Kapuk National Strategic Project or PIK 2 should be canceled and evaluated. According to Firman, the PIK 2 PSN project should not sacrifice the interests of the local community and ecosystem.

"I strongly agree that the PIK 2 PSN project should be canceled and must be evaluated thoroughly and studied in depth, and also seen on the basis of its benefits for the people or whose interests. Especially if it is only for the interests of entrepreneurs," said Firman in a written statement to Tempo, Friday, January 3, 2025.

As is known, the government of President Jokowi's era determined Tropical Coastland PIK 2 as a PSN through Presidential Regulation Number 109 of 2020 concerning the Third Amendment to Presidential Regulation Number 3 of 2016 concerning the Acceleration of PSN Implementation. However, the property project on the north coast of Jakarta and Tangerang, Banten, has drawn controversy. Starting from being said to be in a protected forest area to eliminating local livelihoods.

1. Violating Spatial Planning

Firman Soebagyo said the PIK 2 project was polemic when the Minister of ATR/BPN, Nusron Wahid, said that PIK 2 was canceled as a PSN because there were still problems with violating spatial planning. However, Firman felt strange because in the last few decades the development of the PIK area had continued and run smoothly.

In fact, said Firman, at that time Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives had conveyed strong rejection because there were principles that were violated, namely spatial planning and KLHS. "The PIK 2 PSN project must not sacrifice the interests of the local community and sacrifice the ecosystem and environmental sustainability," said Firman.

2. Not Listed as a PSN

Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Nusron Wahid said the PIK 2 project was not listed as a tourism PSN in the provincial or district/city Spatial Planning Plan (RTRW). "In fact, this is included in the tourism PSN," said Nusron at the Media Gathering event of the Ministry of ATR/BPN at his office on Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

As a result, the provincial and district governments (Pemda) must submit changes to the RTRW. Later, the Ministry of ATR/BPN will issue approval. If the Pemda does not submit, the company or project owner must request a recommendation for the Suitability of Spatial Utilization Activities (KKPR) from the Minister of ATR/Head of BPN. However, until now, Nusron admitted that he had not received a request from the Pemda or the company.

"So, we can't say anything," said Nusron.

3. Located in a Protected Forest Area

Nusron said that 1,500 hectares of land in the PIK 2 PSN is in a protected forest area. This problem can be solved by lowering the status from protected forest to convection forest. Then, convert it into another use area (APL). In the downgrading of the land status, the company must prepare replacement land which will later be determined by the Ministry of Forestry.

However, despite finding a number of problems, the Golkar Party politician stated that his ministry did not have the authority related to the status of the PSN Tropical Coastland PIK 2. "The ball is in the hands of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy. We only have a spatial perspective," said Nusron. However, he explained, KPPR is the entry point for other permits. "Before that happens, turn around," he said, Tuesday, December 31, 2024.

4. Bringing Harm to the Community

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) based on the results of the 4th National Working Conference (Mukernas) asked the government to revoke the PSN status of PIK 2. "MUI asks the government to revoke the National Strategic Program status, PSN, Pantai Indah Kapuk II or PIK 2 because it has caused a lot of harm to the community," said Deputy Secretary General (Wasekjen) of MUI Rofiqul Umam Ahmad reading the results of the 4th Mukernas in Jakarta on Thursday, December 19, 2024, quoted from Antara.

Rofiqul assessed that MUI's recommendation to revoke PSN for PIK was because it was not in accordance with laws and regulations. Previously, he said, MUI received complaints from the community, especially religious scholars regarding the project. He said that the inclusion of the PIK 2 issue in the Mukernas was a form of MUI's commitment as a servant of the people and emphasized MUI's role as a partner of the government.

5. Aguan and Jokowi Demanded to Pay Rp612 Trillion

The boss of Agung Sedayu Group, Tycoon Sugiyanto Kusuma a.k.a. Aguan to the 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) were sued in a civil lawsuit for committing unlawful acts in the PIK 2 project. "The plaintiffs are on behalf of the people, citizens of the Republic of Indonesia who care about issues of resilience and security, as well as the narrative of concern about the existence of a state within a state," said Ahmad when met before the trial at the Central Jakarta District Court, Monday, December 16, 2024.

They also asked the defendants to be punished to stop the PIK 2 project, both in the area and outside the PSN. Because, he claimed, the PSN area is only 1,755 hectares but the land acquisition process reaches Serang, Banten. He estimated that the amount could reach 100 thousand hectares.

"Then we asked to be punished to pay compensation of Rp612 trillion for the suffering of the people, but it was not paid to us but to the state through the Ministry of Finance," said Ahmad.

6. Criminalization of Said Didu After Criticizing PIK 2 Project

The attorney for the former Secretary of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Muhammad Said Didu, Gufroni, claimed that there was an attempt to criminalize his client. This followed Said Didu's harsh criticism of injustice towards the people in the implementation of the PSN PIK-2 policy in 9 Districts in Tangerang and Serang Regencies. Where the area has an impact on the eviction of hundreds of thousands of residents.

"Said Didu is threatened with criminalization through a report of Violation of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) to the Tangerang City Police. We see this action as a form of silencing freedom of expression. Said was reported to have violated Article 28 Paragraph 2 or Article 28 Paragraph 3 of the ITE Law and/or Article 310, Article 311 of the Criminal Code," said Gufroni on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jihan Ristiyanti, Riri Rahayu, and Amelia Rahima Sari contributed to the writing of this article.

Editor’s Choice: Aguan, Jokowi Sued for Rp612tn in Lawsuit over PIK 2 Project

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