Bekasi to build public cemetery

BEKASI, West Java (JP): Bekasi Regent Moch. Djamhari said yesterday billions of rupiah of obligatory funds from developers would be used to build a public cemetery.

More than Rp 3 billion (US$1.2 million) has been deposited at the regency-owned Bank Pembangunan Daerah.

"We will use the money to build a public cemetery in Bekasi," Djamhari said after meeting with the members of Commission 2 of the House of Representatives in his office.

The commission deals with domestic affairs, among other things.

Djamhari said it was not easy to find proper plots for public grave yards in line with the master plan. "Therefore, while seeking a good location, the money was deposited at a bank," he said.

He said the interest of the money would be used in the future to fund other development projects. He did not reveal how much interest had been earned since the money was deposited last year.

Developers operating in West Java are obliged to provide five percent of any plots they are developing for cemeteries.

In 1995 the Bekasi regency allowed developers to pay money instead of plots for the cemeteries.

The chairman of the team appropriating land for the cemetery, Damanhuri, said the money was deposited in the account of the deputy regent, Dede Satibi.

There are 432 developers operating in Bekasi. They were granted 21,4000 hectares of land. (kod)