Developers flout planning rules
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Very few property developers in Jakarta have built public and community facilities in accordance with a requisite for obtaining land-use permits, an official of the City Asset Management Agency revealed on Monday.
The agency's supervision head, Latief Lubis, told a hearing with City Council Commission D that from 1972 to 2004, only 15 percent of developers had met the requirement to build a low-cost apartments, parks, roads and/or houses of worship.
Commission D oversees development affairs.
"Of the 2,490 permits we issued over this period, 2,189 are still active. However, only 307 developers have contributed a small portion of their assets toward public facilities," Lubis said.
He added the combined value of the developers' assets reached up to Rp 2.28 trillion (US$248.58 million).
According to Lubis, the asset management agency was unable to impose any sanctions against developers who did not meet the requirement, "because no article exists that dictates a specific time frame for them to provide the public facilities and what kind of public facilities, while sanctions against offenders are not regulated".
Councillor Yusuf Hamdani of the Reform Star Party (PBR), however, questioned the agency's seriousness in carrying out their duties.
"This has been taking place for a long time -- since 1972 -- but still no effort has been made by the administration to rectify the legalities. Moreover, members of previous councils have often asked the City Asset Management Agency to reveal the developers' identities, but (received) no reply," Yusuf said.
He also pointed out as an example of the agency's poor credibility that the agency had certified only 2,532 of 8,392 assets, of which most were idle property and state schools given to the city in 2000 by the central government as part of its regional autonomy policy.
Comparative data on developers, public facility construction
Area Facilities Issued Retains
land-use permit active permit
C. Jakarta 16 371 49
N. Jakarta 127 438 379
W. Jakarta 86 480 419
S. Jakarta 42 704 606
E. Jakarta 36 474 442
Kepulauan Seribu 2 23 21
Source: City Asset Management Agency