Govt seals off Timor and Humpuss buildings

JAKARTA (JP): City authorities will seal off the disputed Timor and Humpuss buildings owned by the widely diversified Humpuss Group on Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur in Central Jakarta on Friday, an official said.

Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the two multistory buildings would be sealed off at 7 a.m.

Andi said the order to seal off the two buildings was in accordance with Gubernatorial Instruction No. 50/1999 dated March 25.

"The mayoralty received the instruction on Tuesday and I meant to send the order to vacate the premises to Humpuss management on Wednesday, but I was not able to as I was very busy," Andi told the Post over the phone.

"The management received the orders today (Thursday)."

Andi said that Adji, a legal officer of the business group which is owned by former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra, went to his office on Thursday afternoon in a bid to "buy more time".

"Adji gave the reason that a company was going to buy the buildings within two weeks and the Humpuss management wanted until then," Andi said.

"I told him no way. We have given them warnings since last November... even Governor Sutiyoso asked to speak with Tommy (Hutomo), plus he has spoken to the management's senior officials."

Sorry

"No more time for them. I do feel sorry for their employees... that's all I can say."

Andi said that Adji eventually yielded, saying the management would cooperate.

"Tomorrow (Friday), the sealing off will be done by, among others, Central Jakarta public order officers."

It was reported earlier that the companies had violated Presidential Decree No. 25/1995 on the development of the Medan Merdeka area which forbids private companies from building offices in the area, including along Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur.

The area, designed to be a buffer zone from development for the Medan Merdeka Square, is where the National Monument (Monas) stands.

It was also reported that the central government would take over the disputed properties if the company failed to pay off its Rp 3 trillion debt to the government.

The deadline given for the debt payment was March 26.

Meanwhile, an executive of the group acknowledged on Thursday that orders had been received to vacate the premises by Friday.

The executive, who asked for anonymity, said the management received order No. 405/1.785 on vacating the premises which was signed by Mayor Andi on March 24.

The executive said the order contained an instruction to make "adjustments to building permit No. 787/IPB 1997/Feb. 26 within 24 hours".

"I don't quite understand what this means...," the executive told the Post over the phone. (ylt)