Hotel Sultan Eviction Ends in Chaos as Supporters Resist
The eviction process for Hotel Sultan in the Gelora Bung Karno area of Jakarta ended in chaos after a crowd of sympathisers refusing the eviction order remained and chose to hold their ground in front of the hotel area.
The Central Jakarta District Court, together with Police and TNI officers, then attempted to enter the Hotel Sultan area. The sympathisers fought back, striking officers with wooden sticks and throwing plastic bottles. As the situation became volatile, police ultimately sprayed water at the crowd.
The sympathisers were eventually pushed back. Officers were able to take control of Hotel Sultan.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of the State Secretariat Bambang Eko Suhariyanto stressed that the reason for the eviction of Hotel Sultan is that it is a state asset, in accordance with the Central Jakarta District Court decision ordering the execution of the eviction of Block 15 of the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) complex, the former Hotel Sultan.
“Everyone will witness the execution. So, the land of the former Hotel Sultan is a state asset that was acquired by the government around 1959 for the 4th Asian Games,” Bambang stated at the location.
Bambang then explained President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to reclaim government or state assets that have been controlled by other parties. “We must return all those assets under state control,” he asserted.
Bambang also noted that over the 50 years of Hotel Sultan’s management by PT Indobuildco, there were many irregularities. According to him, PT Indobuildco has already received many privileges. “For 50 years, this asset was used by Indobuildco with many irregularities in the process. Indobuildco has had privileges for 50 years,” he said.
Finally, Hotel Sultan is a strategic asset. Once managed by the state, it will be used for the greatest possible prosperity of the Indonesian people. “This is a strategic asset, and the President has stated that once it is returned to the state, this asset must be utilised for the greatest prosperity of the people,” he concluded.