City to buy Timor building for council

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration said on Friday it planned to purchase the Timor building, located on Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur in Central Jakarta, which would become the new home of the City Council.

Currently, the council occupies a building on Jl. Kebon Sirih, also in Central Jakarta.

City Secretary Fauzi Bowo said an assessment team set up by the administration was still calculating the space and the price of the Timor building, which is owned by former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra's Humpuss Group.

"I hope the team can complete their assessment soon, so we can buy the building for the council's new home," Fauzi said.

He stated that councillors had complained that the City Council building on Jl. Kebon Sirih was no longer adequate to accommodate the 85 councillors.

Fauzi said the Timor building was chosen as the proposed new home of the council because it was strategically located, facing the National Monument (Monas) park.

"So the council will be equal as the City Hall also faces Monas park," he said.

Fauzi said the Timor building, which has been sealed off by the Ministry of Finance's Directorate General for Taxation, would be sold in an auction because the Humpuss Group could not pay its tax arrears.

He said the 17-story building was also sealed off by the Central Jakarta Mayoralty last year, because it was being used for private business activities, including as the Humpuss Group's head office. This violated a presidential decree stipulating that buildings in the area could only used for government activities.

"So if the building is sold at auction, private parties won't be interested," he said.

Separately, City Council chairman Edy Waluyo acknowledged on Friday the council had proposed the purchase of the Timor building to replace its current four-story council building.

"You see, currently we work in very small rooms. I hope we can get a new building within the next three months," he said.

The councillors also have complained about the location of their present building, which is behind the city administration building.

"The council is like the executive's kitchen," a councillor once said.

In the new building, the 85 councillors could expect to have their own offices, like the members of the House of Representatives.

Currently, there is only one working room for each faction. Each councillor has a desk and a chair, and they work together in the one room.

The council earlier proposed a new building be purchased in the Kemayoran area. In the proposal, they suggested the new building be provided with facilities similar to those in the city administration building, including a sauna and fitness center.

It is not clear if the council will have similar facilities if they move to the Timor building. (jun)