RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is further preparing to build a giant sea wall along the northern coast of Java. President Prabowo Subianto held a meeting with a number of ministers to discuss the project at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry, Rosan Roeslani, said that a development master plan is currently being prepared with the involvement of various stakeholders. In constructing the giant seawall, the government said they are not only focusing on coastal protection, but also making it part of its efforts to create new centers of economic growth.

"So, it's not just the giant seawall that's being built, but also points to boost the economy, increase investment, and have a positive impact on the economy. We're currently reviewing that, providing input, and conducting studies," Rosan said, as quoted by the Indonesian Presidential Secretariat.

Rosan further emphasized that the project is expected to create a new economic zone, stimulating investment activity and regional development. He believes it could create economic centers beyond Jakarta, which is considered by some scholars as Indonesia's "primate city".

"This will create a new economic hub not only in Jakarta, but also in the area where this giant seawall will be built," he continued.

Meanwhile, Head of the Northern Java Coast Management Authority (BPPOJ), Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, explained that the government is currently assessing 15 segments along the coast. The government stated that it has identified several areas as preliminary alternatives for the sea wall’s construction, but Didit said further studies are still underway to adapt the project to regional conditions and the needs of local communities.

"For example, Jakarta Bay, in Central Java, West Java, and so on. But for the 15 segments, there are subsegments, and sections within them need to be present and collaborated," Didit said.

"We're currently arranging the timeline for implementing these activities, calculating the backward planning time, as all components must be included," the Vice Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries continued.

Earlier, the Indonesian government invited university scholars to actively participate in the wall construction. Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, said in April that he will invite several professors with relevant expertise, such as land development and reclamation, to meet with the BPPOJ.

The giant sea wall project has been planned since 1995, following a decree signed by Indonesia's second president, Suharto, in his New Order government; initially to protect the northern coast of Jakarta. Recently, it has been extended along the entire northern coast of Java, at approximately 535 kilometers.