City set to face lawsuit over parking policy
City set to face lawsuit over parking policy
JAKARTA (JP): While admitting private parking operators had the right to sue the city administration over its parking policy, Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday he would continue with all efforts to enforce city parking regulations.
"It's their right to file a lawsuit against us (the city administration) over private parking issues.
"We, however, will continue with our law enforcement efforts," he said on Friday while visiting Glodok, West Jakarta.
"There are several private parking operators which have decided to cooperate with the city administration and charge their customers lower parking fees," he said, while citing that he had established a team to handle the matter.
Separately on Friday, at a plenary meeting officials told city councillors about their progress on the private parking issue.
Several private companies have protested against Gubernatorial Decree No. 1698/1999, which stipulates parking fees of Rp 1,000 (13 US cents) for the first hour in busy areas and Rp 500 in less busy areas.
It was also reported that five companies filed a lawsuit last Monday against the city administration at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN).
"The five companies are PT Securindo Packatama Indonesia, Pakuan Sentosa, Plaza Indonesia, Segitiga Atrium and Trikarya Nusa Giat Sentani. They filed the suit through Purbani & Associates Law Firm," head of the City Legal Office, Sukma Nelly, told city councillors at the Friday meeting.
"We don't know yet what their demands are. But our sources have said it's about the city regulations on parking," she said.
Head of the City Parking Agency, Yani Mulyadi, told councillors that the agency had sent second warning letters to four operators.
"They are Artha Graha building, Mall Taman Anggrek, the integrated Mangga Dua shopping center and Mega Mall Pluit," he said.
"They only have three days to comply with the decree or face a third warning letter before their operations are sealed off," he said.
Meanwhile, Yani said, 43 parking operators had submitted application forms to get proper licenses for parking businesses.
"We'll give other private parking operators until May 31 to process their licenses. By June 1, they must have the licenses; otherwise we will take legal action," he said.
Agency records shows there are 323 private parking operators in the city.
Most councillors expressed their support for the city administration's stance over defiant parking operators.
"It's time for city officials to enforce the regulations. City councillors and residents will support them and it would be a disaster should the officials step back in the fight," said Saud Rahman of the United Development Party (PPP) faction.
"Private parking operators cannot charge high parking fees because the parking lots are part of the requirement to acquire a building permits. The parking lots are, as such, a supportive facility, and not their core business," he added. (09/nvn)