Makassar Reclaimed, Galesong Destroyed

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

The sun sets over 99 Domes Grand Mosque and Center Point of Indonesia on Wednesday (21/8/2019) at Losari Beach in Makassar, South Sulawesi. Construction on the mosque, which is expected to be the iconic landmark of South Sulawesi, started in 2017. The mosque was designed by architect and West Java Governor Ridwal Kamil, costs Rp 176 billion and is built on reclaimed land.

The Center Point of Indonesia serves as a new icon for Makassar. The elite area in Losari Beach was developed on reclaimed land. Ironically, coastal communities in Takalar regency are affected by the reclamation project.

Ririn Ekawati, 35, joyfully played with her two toddlers near the 99 Domes Mosque in the Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) area on Friday (17/1/2020) afternoon. The public area was filled with visitors seeking relaxation. There are running and cycling tracks, parks and a coastal area with sea sand. From the area, visitors can take a look at Makassar across a narrow strait.

“It is spacious and quite good for children to play. The facilities are complete. It’s nice to have a place to relax like this downtown. Plus, it’s free to get in here,” Ririn said, smiling.

The CPI is eye candy. Lines of majestic white horses greet visitors at the entrance. Not far behind, there is the globe monument. Within the area, there is also a bridge with a futuristic design based on the roof shape of a traditional Toraja house, the Wisma Negara building and the uniquely designed 99 Domes Mosque with its orange domes.

Of CPI’s 157 hectares of reclaimed land, 50 hectares belong to the South Sulawesi government. Makassar’s new economic hub will be equipped with an elite residential zone and other supporting facilities, including a university.

Reclamation leading to abrasion

The sights at CPI stand in contrast with those on the coast of Sampulungan village in North Galesong district, Takalar, South Sulawesi, around 19 kilometers away to Makassar’s south. The region has been hit with severe abrasion as a result of sea sand dredging to reclaim land at CPI and the Makassar New Port (MNP).

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

The 99 Domes Grand Mosque sits inland on the reclaimed land at Losari Beach, Makassar, as photographed on Wednesday (23/1/2020) from the 19th floor of a hotel.

In the past two years, abrasion has gotten 10 to 15 meters inland. Homes have been severely damaged and even collapsed. The current western monsoon season may spell doom for locals due to the strong sea waves that hit the shores.

Locals are restless at night and some have decided to take shelter at another place. Jumiati Daeng Lu’mu, 65, was among them. Ironically, the woman who lives with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchild was actually in joy as her run-down house was being renovated with local government aid.

Abrasion has eroded more than 10 meters of the beach.

However, before the renovation was completed, the abrasion hit. As a result, one side of her home was only 2 meters away from the coastline. Abrasion has eroded more than 10 meters of the beach. Now, Jumiati is forced to leave her house.

“I am worried to stay at my house, especially at night. This is western monsoon season. Waves and wind are strong. It’s worse when it rains. I can be here only from the morning to the afternoon,” she said.

In Tamassaju village, Galesong, 80-year-old Sahar Daeng Ngalle has a similar experience. Every night, he sleeps at a relative’s house. Abrasion has reached the foundations of his house’s back wall.

“Since last year, when the coastline was still 5 meters away from my house, I have always [slept at my relative’s house] during the western monsoon season. However, in recent months, things are getting worse. More than 3 meters have been eroded in just a few days and [the sea] is now right behind my home,” he said.

The abrasion on Takalar’s coast was the result of rampant sea sand mining. Sampulungan village head Rustan said he hoped the government had a solution to the problem. “[The abrasion] threatens not only locals’ homes but also their sources of income,” he said.

The South Sulawesi branch of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) said that at least 23 million cubic meters of sea sand was dredged from the Galesong coast for the reclamation project. So far, 16 sand mining licenses have been issued by the local government. Furthermore, 14 licenses are still being processed. These licenses cover an area of around 34,000 hectares.

“They have been problematic since the beginning as the mining licenses were issued before there was any regional regulation on zoning plan for coastal area and small islands. Sand dredging was carried out very close to residential areas,” South Sulawesi Walhi advocacy and research staff member Rizky Syahputra said.

After a series of public protests, the South Sulawesi administration and legislative council completed the zoning plan through Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 2/2019. Sand mining was ceased temporarily and the location is now regulated to have a minimum distance of 8 nautical miles (14 kilometers) from the coastline. However, the existing mines have already damaged the coastal area.

However, we have moved the sand mining 8 nautical miles away from the coast and this is far enough.

On the issue, South Sulawesi governor Nurdin Abdullah said there was no conclusion whether or not the abrasion was caused by the sand mining. “We cannot be sure that the abrasion was caused by the sand mining as there is also the weather factor. However, we have moved the sand mining 8 nautical miles away from the coast and this is far enough. We have also made several plans to restore the coastal area. The funds are from the state and regional budgets,” he said.

KOMPAS/RENY SRI AYU

Visitors gaze over the waterfront on Friday (17/1/2020) along a pier at the Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) at Losari Beach, Makassar. The area was built on land that was reclaimed using sand from Takalar regency.

Included in the government’s coastal area recovery plan is embankments. Hasanuddin University maritime science expert Syafrudin Yusuf said this would not be effective in resolving abrasion in Takalar. Embankments may collapse eventually as waves may erode the sand below it.

According to him, the most viable solution is to install triangular piles seaward. This will reduce the amount of sand carried to the sea.

Whatever the form is, a solution is necessary for locals on Takalar’s coast. Development on the CPI and MNP elite areas must not be achieved by tears and sorrow of people in Galesong.