Bekasi regent denies illegal land deal<\/p>\n
BEKASI (JP): Bekasi Regent Mochammad Djamhari has denied the
\nallegation that his staff illegally sold state land in Muara
\nGembong subdistrict to a private company. Local farmers have
\nestablished fish ponds on the land.<\/p>\n
\"It's untrue. I've never issued a single permit to allow any
\nfirm to carry out land clearance on the state land in Muara
\nGembong,\" the regent told reporters over the weekend.<\/p>\n
A number of the farmers protested to the Bekasi Legislative
\nCouncil recently, complaining that head of the Muara Gembong
\nsubdistrict, Iim Ompin Sopiandi, had sold the land.<\/p>\n
According to the protesters, they were paid between a mere Rp
\n150 and Rp 250 (six and 11 U.S. cents) per square meter of land.<\/p>\n
The farmers also claimed that a group of unidentified people
\nwoke them up in the middle of the night and forced them to sign a
\nblank sheet of paper.<\/p>\n
Djamhari said that the only thing that has happened in the
\nsubdistrict was \"inventory work\" carried out by the regency to
\nidentify the state-owned land in the area. By having an
\ninventory, the municipality can assess the future prospect of the
\ncity, the regent said.<\/p>\n
The work, he said, is designed to clarify the borders between
\nland owned by the Ministry of Forestry and that belonging to the
\nregency.<\/p>\n
The regent, however, did not explain the presence of a group
\nof people who had required the residents to accept a small
\npayment and move away after being forced to sign the blank page.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the farmers' protest, Muara Gembong
\nsubdistrict head Iim refused to respond.<\/p>\n
\"I will not give a single comment on whatever the content of
\nthe papers, as ordered by my supervisor,\" said Iim.<\/p>\n
\"I have submitted all the problems to the Almighty God and my
\nsupervisor as well,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In many cases, it is believed that the inventory work sees the
\npeople living and working on land, claimed by the authorities as
\nstate owned, unhoused with a small amount of compensation.<\/p>\n
The plots are believed to be sold to private companies, which
\nwill later build modern and luxury projects, leaving the former
\npoor-income people homeless. (12\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bekasi-regent-denies-illegal-land-deal-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}