Housing complex residents rally

JAKARTA (JP): Some 200 residents of the Angkasa Pura housing complex in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, rallied at the Kemayoran New Town Authority (DPPPKK) offices on Monday, demanding the right to buy their houses.

The protesters, who were mostly employees of the state airport management company Perum Angkasa Pura, said they were worried about the actions of DPPPKK workers, who since Wednesday have been affixing yellow stickers to their homes reading "This house is the property of the State Secretariat".

Spokesman for the group Santoso Kurnia said the residents were afraid that management would finally sell the area and force them to move.

"We want to buy our houses, but the officials won't allow us. They always come up with different reasons, but recently they have being claiming that the city administration needs the land," Santoso said.

Since the affixing of the official stickers to the houses, many people have been seen examining the houses and even photographing them.

"We believe that management could sell the land to a private developer because we can all see that there are even new golf courses being built in the neighborhood," Santoso added.

DPPPKK director Haryono told the protesters his office would set up a small team to discuss the matter with them. (dja)