Mayor dismisses lawsuit as irrational<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta Mayor Pardjoko has said through a
\nspokesman that the law suit filed against him by a trader over
\nland appropriation in Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta, was
\nirrational.<\/p>\n
Mayoralty spokesman Djabintang Siboro questioned how the
\ntrader, Henry M. Ali, determined the price of the land.<\/p>\n
"How can the price he proposed in 1990 be the same as the
\ncurrent price," Djabintang told The Jakarta Post on Monday. He
\nwas referring to the price of appropriated land for a toll road
\nproject in South Jakarta which is underway.<\/p>\n
Henry is suing the Jakarta governor, the director general of
\nhighways of the Ministry of Public Works and the South Jakarta
\nmayor for what he claims is the illegal appropriation of 2,000
\nsquare meters of land belonging to him.<\/p>\n
He is suing the defendants for Rp 1.3 billion (US$553,191): Rp
\n300 million for the land's value and Rp 1 billion for immaterial
\ndamages.<\/p>\n
The trial will continue today after being adjourned last week
\nbecause the defendants' lawyers were absent.<\/p>\n
Djabintang said Henry had a right to sue the government. "But
\nwe also have a right to defend ourself," he added.<\/p>\n
He questioned why Henry's lawyers were using a new regulation
\non land appropriation -- one which is based on a presidential
\ndecree -- introduced after the case occurred in 1990, when the
\nregulation was still under a ministerial decree.<\/p>\n
Henry filed the same suit in 1990 but the South Jakarta
\nDistrict Court rejected it because his writ did not name the
\ndirector general of highways.<\/p>\n
Henry rejected the government's Rp 54 million compensation for
\nhis land, arguing he had been informed by the mayoralty that his
\nland was in a designated residential zone before he bought it.<\/p>\n
The land has been acquired by the government for the Pasar
\nMinggu - Depok road project.<\/p>\n
Henry, who is reported to have been forcibly moved three times
\nto make way for government projects, is now living in Srengseng.
\n(jun)<\/p>",
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