City tightens building licensing

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will refuse to issue occupancy permits for high-rise buildings unless they are provided with proper fire safety equipment, a senior official has said.

"Developers and owners should not think they can transfer and use the building once it is completed but without adequate fire precaution facilities," Abdul Kahfi, deputy governor of administrative affairs, said Tuesday.

When asked why only a few of the government's tall buildings had been provided with such facilities, he said he would make sure that all buildings were equipped.

He said the administration would ask the city's fire department to check on high-rise buildings for fire equipment, Antara reported.

Fire department chief Suharso said about 60 percent of the fire equipment available in tall buildings throughout the city did not meet the standard requirements.

Official figures show that Jakarta has 814 high-rise buildings. The fire department has 113 fire engines and 3,000 employees who handle about 1,000 fires a year.

Between Jan. 1 and March 21 this year, 155 fires occurred in Jakarta, according to the department's data. (pan)