Future of Tenda Semanggi hangs in the balance<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The administration will put Tenda Semanggi, a
\npopular hangout among Jakarta's young elite in South Jakarta, in
\norder because it has violated the building code.<\/p>\n
While not spelling out the precise action against the cafes
\nand restaurants in the area, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said on
\nThursday that the operators have turned the places virtually into
\npermanent structures while the original permits were for tents.<\/p>\n
"We have seen some permanent structures in the complex which
\nshould have required building permits," Sutiyoso said.<\/p>\n
The administration is determined to uphold orderliness and the
\nTenda Semanggi complex, standing on a 2.8 hectare area, will be
\none of the targets, he said on the sidelines of a ceremony to
\nmark Jakarta's 473rd anniversary at the City Hall.<\/p>\n
Tenda Semanggi, or Semanggi Tent, is located behind the
\nJakarta Stock Exchange building. Many of the cafes, which now
\nemploy some 2,000 people, were set up by out of work local actors
\nand actresses at the height of the economic crisis in 1998.<\/p>\n
Zulvan, an official of the South Jakarta Tourism Agency, was
\nquoted by Kompas daily on Thursday as saying that none of the
\ncafes and restaurants in the area had applied for business
\npermits from his office as required by a 1997 regulation.<\/p>\n
He also noted that these cafes occupied permanent structures
\nand not tents as originally planned.<\/p>\n
The Tenda Semanggi complex occupies a plot owned by PT
\nDanayasa Arthatama which postponed its plan to build a superblock
\noffice complex when the economic crisis hit Indonesia in 1997.<\/p>\n
The company leased the land to Mitra Jakarta Foundation for 18
\nmonths. The lease ended in May.<\/p>\n
The foundation has invested Rp 1.5 billion (US$176,000) on
\ninfrastructure such as water and electricity, access roads and
\noffices. Mitra Jakarta offered space to cafe and restaurant
\noperators and the area became highly popular among Jakarta's
\nyouths, even during the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
When it was established in 1998, the administration appeared
\nto have allowed some latitude as the cafes and restaurants
\ncreated new jobs to accommodate many people who were displaced by
\nthe crisis.<\/p>\n
Aside from the administration's plan, the future of Tenda
\nSemanggi has been in doubt because Mitra Jakarta and Danayasa
\nArthatama have yet to sign a new lease agreement, Kompas said.<\/p>\n
Mitra Jakarta has not made a decision on whether to accept
\nDanayasa's proposal to increase the monthly rental from Rp 80
\nmillion to Rp 92 million.<\/p>\n
Mitra Jakarta has now been given two months to make up its
\nmind or return the plot. Danayasa said another company had
\nexpressed willingness to take it over at the higher rental rate.
\n(06)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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