Mon, 21 Aug 2000

Detailed rulings on Pulau Seribu sought

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta administration has been urged to issue detailed regulations on Pulau Seribu (Thousand Islands), including its land ownership plan, to anticipate a development boom in the popular resort area of North Jakarta, in line with the new status of the area from a district to a regency.

Interviewed separately on Saturday by The Jakarta Post, city councilor Tjuk Sudono of the National Mandate Party, and head of City Development Planning Board's physical development division Sarwo Handhayani, admitted the city had yet to have such regulations.

"I've been talking to city officials since last year to remind them to deliberate thorough regulations on the Pulau Seribu area. But they gave minimum responses," he said.

"It's important to have the regulations immediately because the administration now has greater authority over the islands. Previously, it was taken care of by the State Secretariat," he added.

Separately, Handhayani admitted that the administration had not yet regulated the management of the islands since the administration was still focusing in drafting the islands spatial planning.

"The City Planning Agency is still drafting the regulations on spatial planning. The final draft will then be discussed with related agencies, including my office," she said.

"My office will then draft regulations on management rights, but we have to wait for the spatial planning to be completed first," she added.

The importance of solid regulations on the islands emerged following an advertisement in the Post on Aug. 12 and in Kompas daily two days later offering plots of an island in Pulau Seribu, 65 kilometers due northwest of here.

There was no information at all on the island's name or the advertiser, except for a contact person identified as Teguh H. which can be contacted through a facsimile number only. There were a total of 14 hectare of bungalows offered of various sizes and equipped with a jetty.

Kompas reported on Wednesday that the island was Melintang Besar island, under the management of Lippo group of companies. No Lippo staff could be reached on Saturday.

City administration records show the island, 16.48 hectares in size, is managed by PT Kaliraya Sari.

According to Law No.5/1960 on Land, only individuals, not companies, are allowed to apply for ownership titles for land.

The government, however, may grant rights to build for 30 years to companies planning to develop a certain area. This right can be extended for another 20 years at the most.

"I'm sure the ownership title for the island was granted by the central government prior to Law No. 22/1999 on Regional Autonomy Enactment. The businesspeople got the title from the State Secretariat somehow," said Tjuk.

"However, the problem is whether they have the right to sell it to third parties. There aren't any regulations on it yet. That's why the governor must produce a decree immediately to regulate it," he added.

Tjuk admitted the decree was an emergency measure to regulate the area because deliberating a city bylaw would take three months to six months.

"The most important thing is that the governor sets a regulation with the help of his staff. It's important to prevent a bad precedence for future situations," he said.

Handhayani could not give a clear explanation on the company offering island lots.

"I don't think the company is allowed to offer individual lots on the island. You should refer to City Bylaw No. 11/1992 on Pulau Seribu Planning and Management," she said.

"Developers can divide their land into individual plots and sell them to customers only if the land is located on the mainland, not on the islands. The considerations are mostly for environmental reasons," added Handhayani.

The bylaw only allows 60 percent of the island to be managed while the remaining 40 percent must be used for public buildings. (nvn)