Fraud involving building permit

Fraud involving building permit

From Warta Kota

In November 2000, AH, a person claiming to be from the city's
planning agency offered me his services. He offered to help
arrange my building permit for the house I planned to construct
in Jati Asih, Bekasi.

I really believed that he was for real as he gave me his
business card, the number of his cellular phone and a receipt for
the payment agreed, which amounted to Rp 3,130,000, to be made in
three installments between Nov. 16 and Dec. 22, 2000).

January 2001 came but I still heard nothing about my building
permit. So I started contacting the office in Bekasi and was
surprised to find out that "AH" was a former official there.
Another person, identified as "Nsh", who co-signed the receipt,
promised to settle the matter. He even came to my house on March
17, 2001, asking for another Rp 500,000, but I gave him only half
the amount and promised to give him the other half upon receipt
of the building permit.

Unfortunately, even now I'm still awaiting the issuance of my
permit. I have also learned that Nsh has been transferred to the
sub-district office of Jati Asih. I tried to call him several
times and each time I was always told that there was no such
person under that name.

The public must be careful in applying for building permits
and avoid being tricked by such people.

V. INTANSARI

Bekasi