Governor pledges to keep Kebon Kacang apartment status

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja reassured occupants of Kebon Kacang apartment buildings that he would not let the their low-cost apartment status be a means for letting developers use the building for other functions.

"The apartment will remain there and will not be used for other functions, including shopping centers, office complexes or luxury condominiums," said Governor Surjadi Soedirdja during his tour to Kebon Kacang and other areas in the city on Sunday.

The governor had repeatedly insisted that his administration would not let the status of Kebon Kacang apartment change. However, doubts still linger on the part of the occupants following last year's aggressive purchase of the apartment units by the Golden Truly supermarket chains near in Kebon Kacang.

The company, which is owned by business tycoon Sudwikatmono, was believed to have intentions of appropriating the low-cost apartment complex and turning the plot, not far from Jl. MH Thamrin, into supermarkets or allowing them to be used for commercial purposes.

As of May, 1993, 70 of 536 units of the 12-year old facilities had been purchased by the employees of the Golden Truly group. The purchase was seen a sophisticated tactic on the part of Golden Truly to finally take over the ownership of the buildings.

Surjadi insisted the apartments' existence was already in tune with the city's zoning plan and helped solve housing problems in the city to some extent.

Housing, he said, was one of the mayor problems faced by the city administration as the number of migrants increased every year.

"After Idul Fitri, for example, 208,000 people from various areas in Java came here, but 2,400 of them were stranded in the city bus terminals without accommodation," said the governor.

During the tour, Surjadi also visited the Batik-mills complex in Setiabudi district, South Jakarta, and ordered the factory- owners which remain there to relocate their factories.

There were 182 factories in the area, some of which dated back to the Dutch colonial era.

The municipal administration had earlier ordered the relocation be finished by March 31. However, so far, there are 25 mills still operating in the area.

South Jakarta Mayor Pardjoko, still giving more chances for the owners to relocate their business, threatened to close down the factories if the remaining 25 were still reluctant to move their business.

According to city's zoning plan, the Setia Budi district is designated as residential area, while several locations in West Java province had been allotted for the batik mills, including Jababeka industrial complex in Cikarang and Lippo City in Bekasi.(jsk)