Halt villa construction

Halt villa construction

From Kompas

As reported in this newspaper on Feb. 8, Vice President Hamzah
Haz has called for a halt to construction in Puncak, West Java.
This is heartening news for the public.

The construction of houses in Puncak benefits only tycoons and
a small group of people. It is disadvantageous to the public.

As a result of real estate development in Puncak, hundreds of
hectares of land owned by the people, which originally served as
both a means of livelihood and a water catchment area, has been
converted into thousands of luxury villas. The presence of these
villas, which has destroyed the function of the land as a water
catchment area, has resulted in flooding in Jakarta, Bogor,
Tangerang and Bekasi.

The call by Hamzah Haz recalls the presidential decree that
then president Sukarno issued in the 1960s, prohibiting the
construction of private homes and villas in Bogor, Puncak and
Cianjur, and also the renovation of old houses in these areas.
The violation of this decree should result in the demolition of
the offending houses and villas.

For the sake of the common people, it is hoped that the Vice
President's call will be heeded.

HENDRAWAN

Jakarta