City to build Manggarai apartment

JAKARTA: The city administration will proceed with the construction of a low-cost apartment complex in Manggarai, South Jakarta, where about 4,000 people lost their houses to a fire last month.

However, a number of local residents have objected to the plan.

"They should realize that they have illegally occupied the land, and understand that this plan is for the betterment of their lives," Governor Sutiyoso was quoted by Antara as saying here on Tuesday.

He added that with the apartment complex, the residents would receive legal status and thus, they would have a chance to improve their welfare.

Sutiyoso claims that only a minority of local residents rejected the plan.

He also denied suggestions that the chosen site was part of a plan to develop an integrated Manggarai train station as proposed by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, or commonly known as Mbak Tutut.

"We have found that it would be impossible to materialize the plan, so we've dropped it," he said. -- JP