City to divulge inventory of property

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is to disclose the results of its property inventory next week, Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said yesterday.

Kahfi said the inventory was compiled by a special team set up last year to probe malfeasance, which led to the illegal acquisition of several city properties.

The inventory is expected to highlight the properties which have been illegally transferred to private companies, he said. The city's property assets are estimated to be worth Rp 700 billion (US$70 million).

"Even now there are several properties which do not have the appropriate documents," Kahfi, who is also head of the team, said.

He said the illegal transfers occurred because some of the properties had not been clearly listed as belonging to the city.

"The city properties consist of not only buildings used by the administration but also other facilities which have not been handed over by private developers as required under existing regulations."

The shrinking number of city properties became the subject of a public debate recently, following revelations that some companies had been involved in illegal acquisitions.

The properties in question include a 2,187-square-meter plot of land on Jl. Matraman in East Jakarta, which was reportedly taken over by private Bank Bira, and a school on a 5,000-square- meter plot of land in Duri Kepa in West Jakarta, which was reportedly sold for Rp 7.5 billion to a private company.

City Councilor Lukman Mokoginta from Commission D for development affairs said the administration should make a periodical report for the council.

"The report is needed because the governor has reiterated that the number of city properties regularly increase.

Lukman also urged the administration to involve the Electronic Data Organizing Office, which it set up in 1992.

"Through the involvement of the office I hope that the city properties can be continuously monitored."

He said the office could be accessed by both the councilors and administration officials. (edt/ind)