Closure action in S. Jakarta colored by owners' protests

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta mayoralty sealed eight more unlicensed establishments in Kemang yesterday, as building owners' protests attracted a crowd.

The owner of Talent beauty parlor, Johny Mallato, said he would sue the mayoralty because he had paid Rp 3.5 million for permits.

The shut-down team started work at 3:20 p.m, two hours late, after waiting for Mayor Pardjoko. The mayor directed the operation which ended at 5:15 p.m.

The 300-strong team consisted of 50 officials from the mayoralty's related agencies, 150 personnel from the city's sanitation agency and police and army personnel.

The eight establishments sealed by the team were the Adorama cake and cosmetics store, Talent beauty parlor, Nu Look laundry, Rossini Cafe and bakery, Bank Danamon, Tan Po Thiu building fabric shop, Dela Danapala interior design gallery, and Sip furniture gallery. They are on Jl. Kemang Raya 17, 18, 29, 83, 110, 92, 87 and 126 respectively.

The owners admitted they had only housing permits. Most of them also lacked the required social disturbance permits. Others lacked the tourism permits needed for restaurant or cafe businesses, and business registration permits.

The team also tore down billboards advertising establishments without billboard permits, including those of Nu Look, Sip gallery, Tetra Dua Sisi money changer and the Adinda art gallery.

During the operation Johny shouted at officials saying he had paid Rp 3.5 million for the required permits to a mayoralty official called Antoni.

He showed a receipt but was unable to prove he had legal permits.

"I will sue the mayoralty for this unfair treatment," he said, tearing down the "sealed" notice pasted on the front window.

He said the problem was the officials' fault for constantly demanding money, and giving out permits. The argument attracted crowds.

Ika, a Dela art gallery employee, angrily said she wanted to withdraw her signature on a witness form. She said officials had forced her to sign the form witnessing the sealing of the gallery. She had torn up the notice. Ika told the mayor his officials had treated her harshly when they inspected the building's permits.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, who issued a March 18 instruction to put building permits in Kemang in order, has admitted that irresponsible officials have led to the abuse of housing permits in the area. The new policy aims to return Kemang to a residential area.

Council deputy speaker Ismunandar has also demanded action be taken against the officials involved.

Pardjoko said that if the deviant officials included district heads, he would "kick" them. But if they included higher ranking people, he was powerless.

"I hope for better coordination between higher and lower level officials," he said.

As to the possibility of the displaced employees losing their jobs, he said the mayoralty had asked the city office of the Ministry of Manpower to seek jobs for them.

West Jakarta Mayor Sutardjianto said Monday that a team would check permits in his area. (11)