1. Introduction

Indonesia is a maritime country of which coast line is approximately 95,181 kilometers and three-quarter part of the country (5.8 million out of 7,827,087 meter square) consists of seas and coastal areas. Indonesia sits on the fourth position as a country with the longest coastline in the world after the United States, Canada, and Russia. There are several provinces in Indonesia that are considered as coastal cities; Makassar is one of them. The total length of Makassar coastline is 32 (thirty-two) kilometers which involve 13 (thirteen) smaller islands. The total coastal areas are 122,370 hectares or 1.1% of the total land of Makassar.

Being a coastal city gives Makassar some competitive advantages since it allows various different types of utilization yet is related to one another. As a coastal area, Makassar has economic, ecological as well as socio-cultural potentials. The source of income for the natives is fishery, anchorage, and nautical tourism.

Rapid growth and development in the eastern part of Indonesia affect the growth of social and economics in Makassar since the city is the main entrance of the eastern part of Indonesia. As the results, the coastal areas in Makassar are used for various purposes. Since the coastal waters, wetlands, and swamps do not actually have economic and environmental value, they are reclaimed into other types of areas that will give economic and ecological value; the process is known as reclamation.

Buildings are started to be seen along the coastal areas in Makassar more particularly along the coastline of Losari Beach as the effect of reclamation. Some of the drawbacks of the reclamation are residential areas built along the coastline and unsuitable use of the coastal areas. In short, reclamation along the coastline of Losari Beach is two sides of a dagger. Reclamation gives some advantages and solutions towards several problems. However, at the same time, it creates another problem particularly for the natives who work as fishermen. Referring to the situation, the purpose of the study is to describe public perception towards the reclamation of the coastal areas in Makassar.

2. Literature Review

a. Public Perception

Perception is to give meaning to sensory stimuli and influenced by sensation, attention, expectation, motivation as well as memory (Dessiderato, 1976). It is a perception that determines whether to pay attention or to ignore one’s message. In line with the explanation, Mulyana (2000) states that perception is the core of communication whereas interpretation is the core of perception. Some requirements for perception to take place are a) an object to perceive, b) attention as the first step or preparation, c) sense or receptor to accept stimulus and d) sensory to transfer stimulus to the brain and therefore create a response (Sunaryo, 2004). Walgito (2004) states both internal and external factors affect perception. The internal factors are 1) experience or knowledge. Prior experience or a learned lesson causes different interpretation; 2) expectation towards one thing will influence perception towards stimulus, 3) need; it is the cause why an individual interprets stimulus in a different manner; 4) motivation to decide good and bad of particular phenomenon. The external factors that influence perception are characteristics of the environment and any object within the environment. These elements may change one’s perception towards his/her environment. Besides that, it also affects how an individual’s feeling or acceptance.

b. Makassar’s Coastal Areas and Beaches

Coastal area is a distinctive area because geographically the area is where the land meets the ocean (Kay and Alder, 1999). Coastal area is defined as the transition between the ocean and land where the land is still affected by salt water or tidal and the land involves continental shelf (Beatley, 1994). Furthermore, Bengen (2001) claims that coastal area is the borderline where the land and the ocean meet. The border on the land refers to an area below or above water that is still affected by tidal, sea breeze, and salt intrusion where the border on the ocean refers to an area affected by natural process on the land such as sedimentation and the flow of freshwater to the ocean which is affected by human activities on the land.

Coastal area as a community or ecosystem has multi potentials in line with the approach use to develop the area namely 1) socially, coastal area is a residential area or targeted area for urbanization, 2) administratevly, with the regional autonomy municipality has more authority to manage and develop coastal areas, 3) physically, it is a place for socio-economic service that contains various Sosial Overhead Capital and economic assets with significant economic and financial value; 4) economically, it gives contribution towards the local revenue and holds future resources when attention is given to potentials that have yet been developed optimumly; 5) biophysically, it is marine biodiversity that has various commodities such as seaweed, fish and crabs and 6) politic and defense wise, coastal area is border between 2 (two) countries or regions that can potentially raise issues and it implies the national defense system.

Makassar’s coastline stretches for 32 (thirty-two) kilometers and has various potentials for example nautical tourism, fishery, and other industries. There are 4 (four) harbors in Makassar namely Pelabuhan Soekaro Hatta, Pelabuhan Rakyat Paotere, Pelabuhan Perikanan Paotere, and Pelabuhan Pendaratan Ikan Rajawali. It also has 13 (thirteen) small islands and 1 (one) non populated island; these islands holds various different potentials from nautical tourism, culinary to cultural tourism. Besides, there are mangrove ecosystem, estuary, seagrass and coral reefs. Unfortunately, half of the mangrove ecosystem has turned into either residential or industrial areas and so do the estuary and seagrass. Based on COREMAP studies, it is revealed that the coral reefs in the area are categorized as average with the average percentage of live coral cover of 43.17%.

c. Reclamation and the Impacts

Reclamation is an activity of which purpose is to increase benefits of land resource seen from the environmental and soci-economic perspective (the 2007 Regulation number 27 about the Coastal Area and Small Island Management). Furthermore, reclamation is an attempt or effort to make use of an empty piece of land that naturally is too wet (watery) into a dry land. Reclamation basically is a process that transforms wet lands into dry land. The goal of reclamation is to make a low land (that is usually below a body of water) on a higher land. According to Wagiu (2011), the purposes of reclamation are 1) to get back a piece of land that was once destroyed by waves or abrasion, 2) to develop new area in coastal areas as a method to avoid abrasion, 3) to provide area for harbor (people, goods and fishery), and other public facilities such as hotels and restaurants, 4) a mitigation effort for abrasion; it is an effective solution for abrasion in a number of places, and 5) recreational areas.

Even though coastal reclamation is not recommended, it can still be carried out with the following requirements, namely a) there is a need to expand industrial or cultivation area on the land; b) it is a part of heavily populated urban areas and therefore there is a need for expansion to accommodate public need; c) it does not intervene the mangrove ecosystem, natural reserve or wildlife reserve; and d) it is not the borderline or within the border with other regions or countries. Although a reclamation area has met the requirements, carefully designed urban planning is pivotal more particularly when reclamation causes the changes to an area on a wider scale. Designing urban planning for coastal reclamation can be conducted once the following administrative requirements have been fulfilled. The requirements are a) there is an urban planning concept that has been established by the Regional Regulation that delineates coastal reclamation areas; b) there is a decree from head of a region that clearly states which areas become reclamation areas and which other areas that have yet been reclaimed; c) there is scientific evidence about development of coastal reclamation areas or fit-and-proper studies about property and/ or investment; and d) there is environmental impact analysis of reclamation area and other areas surrounding the reclamation area.

Urban planning for coastal reclamation area should pay attention to economic and cultural aspects. Coastal reclamation causes alteration in social, cultural and economic activities as well as public water area or habitat prior to reclamation. The alteration should take the following aspects into account i.e. 1) shift in the function of an area and spatial pattern of an area, and 2) reclamation should provide new job vacancy or diversification for new business. Social, cultural, tourism and economic aspects accumulated in social, cultural, tourism and economic network of coastal reclamation area should make use of coastal areas.

Reclamation may also bring damage to the ecosystem, for example, destroy mangrove ecosystem and several marine ecosystems such as crab, reef fish, coral reef, and prawns as well as 50% decline in the amount of fish and other marine commodities the fishermen catch before and after reclamation (Husna, 2012). As an addition, reclamation results in the higher possibility of the tidal flood because the geomorphological and hydrological condition in reclamation area has changed. Some examples of geomorphological and hydrological changes in reclamation area change in flatness degree, river sedimentation composition, tidal pattern, ocean currents pattern along the coastline and regional water system. Tidal flooding risk as the effect of reclamation will increase in relation to the global warming that increases the sea level. Seen from the social perspective, coastal reclamation affects the source of income of the fishermen. Since there is a decline in the amount of marine commodity they catch due to reclamation, the amount of money they earn will decrease too.

3. Methodology

The study is phenomenological approach focusing on public perception towards the reclamation of coastal areas. The study consists of 3 (three) stages namely pre-research, research and data analysis stage that consists of a) epoche, b) data reduction through selecting and focusing, simplifying, abstracting and transforming and c) synthesis. The data collection techniques are participant observation, in-depth interview, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with a different group of informants and documentation.

4. Findings and Discussions

a. Public Perception towards Reclamation from Ecological, Sociocultural and Economic System

Based on an economic perspective, the coastal areas in Makassar have such a vital role in providing source of income for the natives who work as fishermen, fishpond owners and traders (due to the 4 harbours in the area) and one of the sources of local revenue (as tourism spot). From a sociological perspective, the coastal area particularly Losari Beach is the main entrance for communication among traders or business persons from Makassar or other areas which involve the locals.

The public, fishermen and members of local alliances have different perceptions towards the reclamation of the coastal areas in Makassar. Having interviewed some informants, the researchers obtain some information about underlying reasons that start coastal reclamation in Jakarta and Makassar. Subsidence and abrasion are the reasons for coastal reclamation in Jakarta. It is predicted that a half of North Jakarta may be drowned unless reclamation is taking place. The government started building a dam to prevent the area from drowning. On the other hand, Makassar does not have issues related to subsidence or abrasion. The sole purpose of reclamation in Makassar is an ambition that Makassar becomes the center point of the national development. As a matter of fact ecological and social issues that cost the fishermen and the locals, their source of income become the consequence of the reclamation. The fishermen have to sail further to get fish and find other places to park their fishing boats.

Rapid reclamation started in the 2000s when GMTDC was accused of breaking the law. In 2010, 14 (fourteen) companies were interested in the reclamation of the coastal areas in Makassar. The investors started to pile building materials for reclamation even though they have yet had any license from the government which makes these activities illegal. The regional government and police department remain silent and make no efforts to prevent the investors. The companies that reclaim the southern coastal areas in Makassar are PT. Bosowa Property, Centre Point of Indonesia (PT. Yasmin Bumi Asri dan Ciputra Indoland), PT. Mariso Indoland, PT. Puncak Bumi Gemilang, PT. Megasurya Nusa Lestari, PT. Central Cipta Bersama, PT. Tunas Karya Bersama, PT. Kibar Makassar Bisnisland, and GMTDC. As an addition, the companies that will reclaim the northern coastal areas in the city are PT. Laburino, PT. Vacra Artha Monica, PT. Pelaksana Jaya Mulia, PT. Sinar Amali Pratama, and PT. Asindo.

Reclamation started in March 2014 and as the effect, 31 (thirty-one) families were forced to leave their houses. Their houses became the site for CPI mega project. Besides loosing their houses, the families also lost their job and the children could not go to school. In the beginning of 2015, “Aliansi Selamatkan Pesisir (ASP) Makassar,” a local alliance strictly objects reclamation and commersialization of Makassar coastal areas since the sole purpose of the reclamation is a business. Furthermore, the alliance claims that reclamation in Makassar coastal areas will cause damage to the ecosystem and small islands in Makassar.

South Sulawesi government is currently designing regional regulation on Urban Planning for Strategic Location and Center for Business, Socioculture and Tourism as well as Center Point of Indonesia (CPI). The regional regulation is part of the government plan to develop CPI in Makassar coastal areas, more particularly in Losari Beach. Initially, the National Budget (APBN) was once the financial source for the mega project but currently South Sulawesi Regional budget becomes the one. The cost for the mega project is too expensive that the government works with a couple of private companies namely PT Yasmin Bumi Asri and PT. Ciputra Surya to reclaim 157 hectares of coastal areas. The government of South Sulawesi will reclaim 57 hectares of the Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) areas while PT. Ciputra Surya will reclaim the remaining 100 hectares building the business center, hotels, and luxurious residential areas.

PT. Ciputra dan PT Yasmin are responsible for reclamation of 106.3 hectares of land in Losari Beach and the government of South Sulawesi is going to develop 50 hectares of the area into an office building, public-owned guesthouse, conference hall and other public facilities. The reclamation is carried out in 2 (two) stages; on the first stage, the companies reclaim 100 hectares of the area spending 2.5 billion rupiahs while another 57 hectares will be reclaimed once the first stage has been completed. It is predicted that the reclamation lasts for 2 (two) years and finishes in 2018. The reclamation of Losari Beach is part of Center Point of Indonesia (CPI) mega project that currently is known as Centre of Indonesia (COI) and CitraLand City Losari Makassar. The investors create a public park, and man-made white sand beaches as well as conducting an analysis towards the ecological impact of the mega project and project design.

The reclamation of Losari Beach get negative response and even objection from the society more particularly some alliances for example Aliansi Selamatkan Pesisir (ASP) that is an alliance of which members are university students and the public and non government organization namely Wahana Lingkungan Hidup (Walhi) Sulsel, Anti Corruption Commite (ACC) Sulawesi, LBH Makassar, Forum Informasi dan Komunikasi (FIK) Ornop Sulsel, Salodaritas Perempuan Anging Mammiri, Kontras Sulawesi, LAPAR Sulawesi, YKL, Aman Sulsel, KN Katalassang, Jurnal Celebes, FMN Makassar, Srikandi, FND-SGMK, SPJM that establish Masyarakat Tolak Reklamasi (MTR), a coalition that strongly refutes reclamation in Makassar coastal areas. These organizations consider that the reclamation runs against procedures and eventually the law. Coastal reclamation should meet the regional regulation about coastal area zoning and license that is based upon the Guideline of Urban Planning and Coastal Reclamation (Pedoman Perencanaan Tata Ruang Kawasan Reklamasi Pantai). The 40/PRT/M/2007 Regulation of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries state that requirement for coastal reclamation is a license issued by the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries. The government of South Sulawesi plans to reclaim 625.35 hectares of land in the core area of CPI and 840.75 hectares of land as the buffer area for CPI. Most of the areas do not have a legal aspect that is Regional Regulation for Coastal Areas and Small Islands.

Other misconducts from the reclamation are a) there has not been any proposal or decision for a license which is based on the 2009 Decree number 32 about RPPLH; it means reclamation of Makassar coastal areas does not meet the Decree; b) Report on environmental impact analysis of the area has never made to the public. Public consultants were not involved in conducting the environmental analysis in 2010. The reclamation started in 2013. Since there is a three-year gap, the 2010 report should be re-evaluated. These are the underlying reasons for the alliance and the NGOs asking the government to cancel the reclamation. They also ask the government not to issue any license for PT Yasmin Bumi Asri and Ciputra as the investors of CPI mega project. Their proposals are a) cancelling reclamation of coastal areas and small islands prior to issuance of regional regulations about coastal areas and small island zoning, b) encourage ecological analysis or audit and license in coastal areas, and c) restore coastal areas and smaller islands as well as encourage moratorium of coastal areas. As an addition, ACC and Walhi state that reclamation limit public access to Makassar coastal areas and eventually violate economic, social and cultural rights of the natives living on the coastline. In conclusion, reclamation damage the marine ecosystem and ecosystem of coastal areas as well as causing income loss for the natives whom most of them work as a fisherman since it solely is a business-oriented act.

b. Impact of Reclamation for the Public

Coastal areas in Makassar are generally divided into 5 (five) zones namely: 1) Jeneberang River Delta that functions as residential and conservation areas. The coastline becomes public open space and residential areas while conservation area in Sombaopu is historical site; 2) Losari Beach that functions as an economic zone. The area consists of public facilities for trading of goods and service such as restaurants, hotels, stores, hospital and beauty centers; 3) Harbor, the harbor has parking areas and some dacilities to support trading for example hotels, travel agencies, stores and restaurants; 4) Paotere Harbor that has parking lots, residential areas for local fishermen, stores, restaurants and fish market; and 5) Tallo River area that function as conservation area. It consists of mangrove and some historical sites, Tallo and Lakkang kings’ graves.

Losari Beach is one of Makassar’s icons and well-known for favorite tourist destination for both the locals and travelers. Coastal reclamation in Losari Beach that began in 2012 brings dramatic change and affects the beach tremendously. The areas affected by the reclamation are Mariso, Tamalate, Biringkanaya, Tallo, and Tamalanrea.

The reclamation brings modernity to Losari Beach. Two landmarks built during reclamation are floating mosque and statue of local heroes. Reclaiming Losari Beach is an effective effort because nowadays the beach becomes one of the most popular tourist destinations in Indonesia. Reclamation attracts more visitors. However, growing numbers of visitors in Losari Beach bring some negative consequences for example illegal buildings along Losari Beach.

Revitalizing Losari Beach through coastal reclamation brings both positive and negative impacts. Reclamation causes declining number of marine commodities and it is getting more difficult for the fishermen to get fish. On the other hand, positive impacts of reclamation are creating open space for the public and preventing abrasion. Abrasion from Jeneberang River may cause some damage to Losari Beach and as the result, reclamation is of necessity. Otherwise, salt water may seep into Jenderal Sudirman Street. One of the informants from the local authority states that reclamation functions to prevent coastal abrasion. The statement is refuted by marine activists who state that increase of water surface is less than a centimeter per 10 years. In addition, an activist from Fosil claims that reclamation causes water intrusion from the ocean to the land or known as reverse logic.

According to Walhi and MTR, reclamation causes pile that eventually change the pattern of ocean currents; it increases abrasion risk in 11 (eleven) islands located along the coastline of Makassar as well as Gowa and Takalar. The pile increases the risk of tidal flood in Gowa and Takalar since it increases sea level. Reclamation also causes damage to the mangrove. It also causes some loss for fisherman as the number of fish and mussles are declining. Reclamation changes geomorphological features of the coastal areas and the ocean currents since it creates a new piece of land. ASP that strongly declines reclamation of the coastal areas in Makassar describes some impacts of reclamation in the area; they are as follow:

a. Ecosystem in Makassar Coastal Areas

60% of coral reefs in coastal areas of Makassar have been damaged and reclamation is going to cause more severe damage. Reclamation may destroy mangrove ecosystem in Tamalate, Mariso, Ujung Tanah, Biringkanaya, Tallo, and Tamalanrea. It pollutes the water and causes a change in geomorphologal features of the coastal areas and ocean currents. Furthermore, reclamation may eliminate marine commodities in the area. The area to absorb water stretches from Tamalate to Je’neberang River will no longer exist. There may also be an increase of sea level. Furthermore, reclamation causes shallowing of the swamps in Tamalate and increases the risk for a tidal flood in some residential areas located in Tamalate. In a short term, reclamation causes damage to the marine ecosystem. It enhances the effect of global warming and building materials from the reclamation will become a pollutant. Finally, reclaiming Losari Beach affect 11 (eleven) small islands located along the coastline of Makassar.

b. Social Condition of the Public in the Coastal Areas of Makassar and Surrounding Areas

Goods and service trading zone, harbor, industry, public open space, offices, warehouse, energy and global business center are the evidence that business is the sole purpose of reclamation of the coastal areas in Makassar. Reclamation forces the locals to change their occupation; most of them are fishermen, boat makers, fish mongers or searching mussels. Currently, there is only one female in Mariso who searches mussles and selling them to earn money. Reclamation causes 45 (forty-five) families living in the coastal areas loosing their houses and 456 fishermen in Panambungan loosing their job. It also limits public access to the area because it turns into a corporate-owned business zone where public has to pay for some retribution to get access to the area.

c. Reclamation causes Damage for the Culture

Reclamation causes threats to the local culture of the coastal community since there is a shift from maritime culture into commercialism. The government is responsible for preserving the local culture. Reclamation may also damage some historical sites such as the Fort of Rotterdam, Tallo Kings’ Graves and Fort of Somba Opu.

d. Reclamation of Coastal Areas in Makassar in the Regional Regulation about Urban Planning of Makassar does not currently have any legal foundation and violates the Human Rights

Reclamation of the area causes some families loosing their houses. It is against the Economic, Social, and Cultural Principles stated in the 1999 Decree Number 39 about Human Rights. It also turns public areas into private ones and may potentially cause national loss. Reclamation is against United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights adopted in the 2005 Decree Number 11. In addition, reclamation is against agrarian reform stated in the 1960 Decree Number 5 about Agrarian. At last, it violates the 2006 Regional Regulation Number 6 about Makassar Urban Planning. No scientific study was conducted prior to the reclamation.

Perceptions of ASP, local fishermen and stakeholders are logical and have legal foundation seen from the 2012 Presidential Decree Number 2012 about Reclamation of Coastal Area and Small Island. The decree states that government, local government or any individual who plans to reclaim an area should design reclamation planning. Furthermore, Article 4 states that reclamation is supposed to take technical, ecological and socio-economic aspects into consideration. The technical aspect includes hydro-oceanography, hydrology, bathymetry, topography, geomorphology and geotechnic. The ecological aspect refers to the condition of the environment that consists of quality of saltwater, freshwater, air, and coastal ecosystem (mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef), terrestrial flora and fauna darat, as well as aquatic biota. The socio-economic aspect involves demography, public access and the potential for relocation. Demography refers to a number of population, density, income and occupation, the level of education, health and religion. Public access refers to roads, public transportation, and information about reclamation. The potential for relocation refers to an area where the locals can live after their houses are affected by relocation and public facilities in the area. In conclusion, reclamation causes some social, cultural, ecosystem and economic changes. Therefore, studies that meet the Urban Planning of Makassar should be carried out prior to reclamation. Furthermore, reclamation should consistently refer to the 2012 Regulation number 121 about Reclamation in Coastal Area and Small Island.

5. Conclusions

The study concludes that reclamation gives some advantages, but at the same time, it causes social, economics and environmental issues. Based on the observations, the implementation of the coastal reclamation does not go as planned and causes social, economic and environmental damage that eventually leads to public resistance. Thus, coordination and synergy among the stakeholders should be conducted so that reclamation principles can run smoothly. The current urban planning in Makassar has unfortunately not been carefully designed. As the consequence, there is significant degradation of the public and the environment. The coastal areas will suffer from greater damage when the matter is not taken into action immediately.

Land eviction is one of the effects of the reclamation in Losari Beach; some people were forced to leave their houses. It happens due to the synergy between the stakeholders and the authorities in order to create tourism spots along the beach. However when we look further, the reclamation, carried out by the government, causes some loss for the natives, and the fishermen. They suffer from the drawbacks of the reclamation directly, for example, the fishermen have to find another location for their fishing boats because Losari Beach is restricted to fishing boats.