Developer told to keep word on facilities
Developer told to keep word on facilities
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Pondok Pinang subdistrict in South
Jakarta complained to the City Council on Wednesday that PT
Metropolitan Kencana, the developing of the Pondok Indah luxury
housing complex had not given them the social facilities it
pledged 20 years ago.
Ten of their representatives, who were received by members of
the United Development Party (PPP) faction, said they could no
longer be patient as struggled for their rights for a long time.
About 10,000 local families were evicted from a 450-hectare
plot of land in 1971 and 1972 to make way for the development of
the Pondok Indah housing complex by Metropolitan Kencana, a joint
venture company owned by, among others, business tycoons Sudono
Salim, Sudwikatmono, Ciputra and Budi Brasali.
Junaidi Abdillah, the head of the Pondok Pinang social
activities group, said that the 450 hectares of land also
included seven hectares belonging to local residents.
The seven-hectare plot was given by the residents to the
developer in the hope that the latter would compensate them by
building social facilities like a mosque and school buildings,
Junaidi said.
He admitted the company had developed a mosque, an elementary
and junior and senior high school buildings in separate locations
covering a total area of five hectares, he said.
"But the company later submitted the facilities to the Pondok
Mulia foundation, which is chaired by Sudwikatmono, instead of
handing them over to the residents.
"The company never fulfills its obligation. It is just a
capital transfer inside the company," Junaidi said.
He said the residents started to struggle for their rights in
1978, by sending complaints to the city governor, the developer
and City Council and the former Ministry of People's Housing, he
said.
The last complaint was made on June 29. "However, none of the
complaints have been acted on. We don't know which institutions
are willing to listen to our complaints. We are a weak party who
is facing a giant business group," he said.
During the meeting with the PPP faction members, the
representatives also threatened to demolish Metropolitan
Kencana's office as the firm had continuously ignored their
demands.
"A plan to destroy the building has frequently been discussed
by the people, especially the youths.
"But, we were able to prevent them from doing so by telling
them that their acts would not only hurt the company but Pondok
Pinang residents as well. But I am afraid that this will prevent
the destruction much longer if the developer does not soon
fulfill its promise," said Zein Mudjid, one of local youth
activists.
"We will fight for our rights till the end of our lives," said
a local Islamic teacher, Marzuki Halim, in a trembling voice.
The head of the PPP faction, Achmad Suaidy, promised to help
settle the case by inviting the management of Metropolitan
Kencana to ask for clarification as soon as possible. (ind)
JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Pondok Pinang subdistrict in South
Jakarta complained to the City Council on Wednesday that PT
Metropolitan Kencana, the developing of the Pondok Indah luxury
housing complex had not given them the social facilities it
pledged 20 years ago.
Ten of their representatives, who were received by members of
the United Development Party (PPP) faction, said they could no
longer be patient as struggled for their rights for a long time.
About 10,000 local families were evicted from a 450-hectare
plot of land in 1971 and 1972 to make way for the development of
the Pondok Indah housing complex by Metropolitan Kencana, a joint
venture company owned by, among others, business tycoons Sudono
Salim, Sudwikatmono, Ciputra and Budi Brasali.
Junaidi Abdillah, the head of the Pondok Pinang social
activities group, said that the 450 hectares of land also
included seven hectares belonging to local residents.
The seven-hectare plot was given by the residents to the
developer in the hope that the latter would compensate them by
building social facilities like a mosque and school buildings,
Junaidi said.
He admitted the company had developed a mosque, an elementary
and junior and senior high school buildings in separate locations
covering a total area of five hectares, he said.
"But the company later submitted the facilities to the Pondok
Mulia foundation, which is chaired by Sudwikatmono, instead of
handing them over to the residents.
"The company never fulfills its obligation. It is just a
capital transfer inside the company," Junaidi said.
He said the residents started to struggle for their rights in
1978, by sending complaints to the city governor, the developer
and City Council and the former Ministry of People's Housing, he
said.
The last complaint was made on June 29. "However, none of the
complaints have been acted on. We don't know which institutions
are willing to listen to our complaints. We are a weak party who
is facing a giant business group," he said.
During the meeting with the PPP faction members, the
representatives also threatened to demolish Metropolitan
Kencana's office as the firm had continuously ignored their
demands.
"A plan to destroy the building has frequently been discussed
by the people, especially the youths.
"But, we were able to prevent them from doing so by telling
them that their acts would not only hurt the company but Pondok
Pinang residents as well. But I am afraid that this will prevent
the destruction much longer if the developer does not soon
fulfill its promise," said Zein Mudjid, one of local youth
activists.
"We will fight for our rights till the end of our lives," said
a local Islamic teacher, Marzuki Halim, in a trembling voice.
The head of the PPP faction, Achmad Suaidy, promised to help
settle the case by inviting the management of Metropolitan
Kencana to ask for clarification as soon as possible. (ind)