'City still owns land in Ragunan'

'City still owns land in Ragunan'

JAKARTA (JP): The city secretary, Harun Al Rasyid, said that the land and houses in Ragunan, South Jakarta, which were sold by employees of the city husbandry office are city assets.

Harun said over the weekend that the administration is still the rightful owner of the 3,000-square-meters of land, as well as the houses standing there.

"We have evidence to prove it, therefore the sale was illegal because they sold other people's property," Harun said.

Harun said there is a letter from the city administration recommending that the employees use the land and stay in the houses.

Therefore, the employees who have received money from buyers should return it because the sales were illegal, he said.

"We are still considering the punishment for them," Harun said when asked about the action which will be taken against the employees.

Thirteen employees of the city husbandry agency, claiming to be the owners of the property, allegedly sold the land, as well as the houses, to the Villa Ragunan developer.

The developer paid Rp 350,000 (US$162.79) per square meter of land, but the sellers only received Rp 250,000 per square meter. The remaining Rp 100,000 was given to land brokers.

In 1971 the husbandry agency got a total of 5,000 square meters of land in Kampung Poncol, Ragunan, South Jakarta, from the administration. The plot was supposed to be used for offices, an animal health center and 16 houses for employees.

Harun said that the husbandry agency employees should have notified the governor about the sale of the houses. (yns)