E. Jakarta mayor threatens demolition
E. Jakarta mayor threatens demolition
JAKARTA (JP): East Jakarta's mayor is threatening to tear down
hundreds of mansions now under construction in the Palm Estate
housing complex, if PD Sarana Jaya cannot prove the governor has
approved its cooperation with a private sector developer.
East Jakarta Mayor Sudarsono said over the weekend that PD
Sarana Jaya, a city-owned housing company, has failed to show a
permission letter from the governor.
Sudarsono said the letter is important because the
construction of the houses is not being carried out by PD Sarana
Jaya, the party that obtained the land use permit to build the
houses. PT Indofica Housing, a private developer, is putting up
the expensive houses.
"If the governor does not know or approve of the cooperation,
we will not hesitate to demolish all the houses," Sudarsono told
Jayakarta daily.
The newspaper reported that at first the mayoralty intended to
just fine PT Indofica Housing because it failed to obtain a
building permit for 25 houses.
The private company plans to build a total of 200 luxurious
houses on the location. Of that number, 180 houses are still
under construction.
However, later it was discovered that PD Sarana Jaya holds the
permit for the 7.5 hectares of land in Pondok Kelapa, East
Jakarta. Under existing regulations, any cooperation or transfer
of activity in relation to the permit must be approved by the
governor.
Earlier this month, city councillors urged the municipal
administration to take firm action against the developers.
Saud Rachman, a member of the City Council's Commission D,
which oversees development affairs, said the existing
regulations state that the administration will demolish any house
built without a building permit.
Ratih Ratna Purnami from the same commission said that the
administration should punish such errant developers to deter
others from doing the same.
Sudarsono said his office will not demolish the houses if PD
Sarana Jaya can show him the approval letter. (yns)