Councillors fight over airport
Councillors fight over airport
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Tangerang regency has laid claim to the country's main gateway,
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and the huge amount of
revenue it generates, which is currently controlled by Tangerang
municipality.
"Terminal II is geographically located closer to Kosambi,
which is a district in Tangerang regency. This means the terminal
is located in the regency's jurisdiction," Ozy Syahrozi, a member
of the regency council's Commission A on administrative affairs,
said on Monday.
Terminal II refers to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport,
which is controlled by Tangerang municipality.
The municipality, which was established in 1992, receives over
Rp 1 billion each year from parking fees, airport taxes and
advertising taxes collected by airport operator PT Angkasa Pura
II.
The municipality receives an additional Rp 350 million each
year from the airport operator in community development funds.
Ozy said the Tangerang Regency Council had asked the National
Land Agency and related agencies in the regency administration to
make a comprehensive study of the airport's borders.
Barhum, a member of the regency council's Commission D on
development, said his commission had met with the Tangerang
Municipal Council to deliver its claim over the airport.
"The municipal council promised to deliver our claim to the
municipal administration soon," he said, adding that his
commission had scheduled talks with the municipal council next
week to discuss the airport's borders.
Tangerang municipal administration spokesman Chaerudin said
that since the municipality was formed in 1992 the airport had
been an integral part of it.
"As far as I know, the airport's 1,800 hectares lie entirely
in Tangerang municipality," he said.
Fauzan Manafi and Kholid Mansyur of municipal council
Commission C on budgetary affairs, suggested the Tangerang
regency was simply trying to get ahold of the huge amount of
revenue the airport generates each year for the municipality.
"It is not surprising the regency council is envious of the
municipality and wants to get a part of the airport's revenue,"
they said.
The councillors also said that of the numerous state
enterprises (BUMNs) operating in the municipality, only PT
Angkasa Pura regularly allocated funds for community development
programs in the subdistricts surrounding the airport.
The funds are used to build houses of worship, orphanages and
public bathrooms, and to repair damaged roads and replace old
street lights.
Manafi said other BUMNs like Bank BNI 46, Bank Mandiri, PLN
and PT Telkom should allocate funds for community development
programs to help residents living near their branch offices in
the municipality.
"We sent a memo to Mayor Wahidin Halim that the municipality
deserves community development funds from these BUMNs," Manafi
said.