Council questions cemetery fees

JAKARTA: The City Council has asked the city administration to conduct a full investigation into what it says are jacked-up fees at the Pondok Kelapa Public Cemetery in East Jakarta.

Councillor Siti Sofiah, a member of Commission E, which has jurisdiction over this matter, said that one person was charged Rp 5 million to bury a family member when he should have been charged no more than Rp 750,000.

She added that the fees were being charged by private foundations that were tasked by the city to manage the cemetery.

"This is outrageous," said Siti, as quoted by BeritaJakarta.com. "The foundations should be investigated because they have strayed from the law and caused the public a disservice."

According to City Bylaw No. 3/1999, public cemeteries that receive subsidies from the city, which includes Pondok Kelapa, should charge Rp 150,000 for the burial fee, Rp 500,000 for the annual maintenance fee and Rp 100,000 for the annual administrative fee. --JP