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