Finally, the dead may rest in peace<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It may be of small comfort to those who have just lost a loved
\none, but the Jakarta administration's plan to abolish rental fees
\nfor grave spaces and subsidize burials outside the city will at
\nleast decrease their financial burden.<\/p>\n
"The decision (to scrap rental fees and provide a burial
\nsubsidy) is almost final. The team of councillors that has been
\nassigned to formulate the final draft bylaw on city fees has come
\nto a conclusion," team member Agus Darmawan of the National
\nMandate Party said at the City Council.<\/p>\n
As there is limited space for public cemeteries in the city,
\nAgus added that the administration would also provide subsidies
\nfor those who wanted to bury their deceased loved ones out of
\ntown.<\/p>\n
"The subsidy has also been included in the 2005 city budget,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
However, a detailed rundown of the allocated funds was not
\nmade available on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Seven council factions are expected to deliver on Thursday
\ntheir final statements on the issue.<\/p>\n
Agus, however, said that the administration would still charge
\nrent for prominent spaces in city cemeteries.<\/p>\n
Rates vary from cemetery to cemetery and usually depend on the
\ndistance of the plot's location from the street.<\/p>\n
Prevailing City Bylaw No. 3\/1999 rules that Jakarta residents
\nare only subject to a fee of between Rp 4,000 and Rp 100,000 for
\na three-year period based on the location of the grave.<\/p>\n
The relatives of the deceased are required to renew the lease
\nafter three years, "but they are not charged a renewal fee," Agus
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Late renewal could mean that another body is buried in the
\nplot.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said he had come to the decision to
\nscrap the fees due to public complaints, as well as allegations
\nthat city officials had embezzled funds from the rent.<\/p>\n
"The income is not that significant but is often criticized,"
\nSutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has a total of 95 public cemeteries.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Cemetery Management Office says that between 8,000
\nand 10,000 Jakarta residents die every day.<\/p>\n
Last year, the administration allocated Rp 27.3 billion to
\ncover the burial fees of city residents.<\/p>\n
"Every Jakartan is entitled to receive Rp 150,000 to finance
\ntheir burial," Agus said.<\/p>\n
However, it seems that residents are not well-informed of
\ntheir rights.<\/p>\n
"I don't know about the burial allocation from the
\nadministration," said Selby, 60, a resident of Rawabunga, East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
He grumbled that he had to pay Rp 2.5 million two years ago to
\narrange for the burial of his deceased mother in Petamburan
\npublic cemetery in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
City residents often complain of vacant plots being so
\ndifficult to secure that bribing cemetery staff is the only
\noption if they want to bury their dead relatives.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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