April 20, 2026 | 07:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has called for greater involvement of academics, including lecturers and professors, in the development of the giant sea wall project along Java’s northern coast.
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto said the directive was delivered during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Brian said the project is aimed at protecting around 60 percent of Indonesia’s industrial areas and more than 30 million people living in coastal regions. He added that his ministry has been tasked with contributing to the project’s development.
“Many research results from universities have already been tested. One of them was successfully implemented in Demak, Semarang. We have also been asked to actively participate,” Brian said after the meeting.
He explained that lecturers and researchers who have conducted studies related to coastal protection and sea wall development will be involved to help accelerate construction and improve efficiency.
The ministry will begin inviting professors with relevant expertise to collaborate on the project. According to Brian, they are scheduled to meet with Didit Herdiawan Ashaf, head of the North Coast Java Authority Management Agency and deputy minister of maritime affairs and fisheries.
“Next week, we will invite several professors who have expertise and have been involved in various projects, including land reclamation and similar initiatives,” he said.
The government plans to build a 535-kilometer sea wall stretching from Banten to Gresik to mitigate the impact of rising sea levels and land subsidence.
Prabowo has previously said the project can no longer be delayed, noting that it has been part of national planning since the era of former president Soeharto. He estimated the total cost of the project at around US$80 billion.
During Monday’s meeting, which was also attended by Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, officials discussed the project’s progress.
“Regarding the giant sea wall, it is still in the planning stage, and we will further explore activities related to construction,” Didit said after the meeting.
He added that no final decision has been made on when construction will begin, as the timeline depends on available resources. “Because it is related to the available resources,” he said.
Didit also emphasized the importance of balancing resource use with environmental protection, including incorporating waste management into the project’s development.
Read: Prabowo Discusses Giant Sea Wall Project in Closed-Door Meeting
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