City warned not to build Kelapa Gading sports complex

City warned not to build Kelapa Gading sports complex

Residents of Kelapa Gading housing complex in North Jakarta have
threatened legal action against the city administration if it
allows the construction of a sport complex to continue.

Speaking at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) on Monday,
residents' spokesman Carrel Ticualu said the development of the
complex violated the agreed use of the land, which was earmarked
for social and public facilities, especially for education
purposes.

"If our notice is ignored, we will sue the administration as
well as the stadium's developer," Carrel, who is also a
neighborhood unit chief in the area, said.

He warned the public not to buy shops, which would be built
around the 6.5 hectare stadium, since they would suffer losses
and face similar suits from the residents.

Some 500 families rejecting the sports complex will be
accompanied by lawyers from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute and
be supported by the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) and the city
chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi).

Separately, Fakta chairman Azas Tigor Nainggolan said a man,
who was related to the stadium's developer, earlier tried to
bribe him and asked not to support the residents.

"The man asked me not to support the residents and in return I
would receive a 'reward'," Tigor said on Monday.

The controversy surrounding the stadium was believed to have
been triggered by a dispute between Kelapa Gading housing complex
developer PT Sumarecon Agung and the stadium's developer PT
Satria Mahaka.

PT Sumarecon handed over the land to the city administration
as its obligation for public and social facilities. The company
seemed disappointed as the administration appointed PT Satria to
build the three-story sports complex.

Sutiyoso is the chairman of the Indonesian Basketball
Association (Perbasi) while the developer, Erick Thohir also owns
the basketball team Putra Mahaka.

Both disputed parties reportedly "used" non-governmental
organizations to support their own interests.

At the beginning of the dispute two months ago, several
residents were injured during clashes with officers from the City
Public Order Agency guarding the stadium.

Separately, the agency chief Firman Hutajulu said on Monday
that his officers would continue to guard the construction site.

"But I ordered my officers to avoid using violence," Firman
told reporters at City Hall.