Housing estates must use local names by August

TANGERANG (JP): By Aug. 17 this year the government expects that all housing complexes using foreign names to have changed the names to Indonesian, Minister for People's Housing Akbar Tandjung said.

"Using Indonesian for the names of housing complexes is now government policy and we are happy to see a positive response following President Soeharto's appeal, on National Awakening Day, May 20, for the use of proper Indonesian," Akbar Tanjung said, referring to a number of real estates which have changed their names.

"We hope that by Aug. 17, which is the anniversary of Indonesia's independence, all housing complexes will be ready to change their names on billboards and other signs," he said at the officiating of name changes for real estate complexes built by the Lippo business group. The ceremony was held at Lippo Village, which is now known at Lippo Karawaci, after the name of its district, in Tangerang.

"For several reasons, including business, the housing sector has used foreign names, mainly English," the Minister said. "But Indonesian names do not lower the quality of a housing complex, people will be drawn to the complexes for their good facilities, such as water, telecommunications and solid building construction."

Advertising companies, for developers, have said clients have refused offers of Indonesian names, saying these do not appeal to potential buyers.

Pressure has been mounting lately for developers to use Indonesian, for instance from councillors and legislators.

The Minister of Education and Culture, Wardiman Djojonegoro, was present at the ceremony.

Language experts A. Moeljono and Hasan Alwi and local military and administrative chiefs of Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor were also present.

The real estate complex of Lippo City, in Bekasi, is now Lippo Cikarang, and in Bogor, Lippo's Royal Sentul Highland is now called Bukit Sentul.

Both ministers, however, reminded that the appeal for name changes should not lead to a "phobia" of foreign languages.

"We need to master English, but don't mix it with Indonesian," Minister Wardiman said.

Tanjung added that the government fosters a conducive climate to housing development by the private sector "as long as requisites are observed, such as the building of low cost homes."

Elite school

In response to elite facilities in real estates, such as the Pelita Harapan school in Lippo Karawaci, Wardiman said this is a contribution of the private sector to the shortage of government- built schools.

"This is part of deregulation, that we encourage the role of the private sector to build schools," he said. Critics have pointed out such schools strengthen the social gap and merely churn out profit from rich parents.

"As I said previously, about the book industry, the business of schooling must not be perceived as negative," the minister said.

"In managing a business, a school's administration must deliver its best, or the parents will take their children out."

An executive of the Lippo Group said schools like Pelita Harapan, where students pay at least US$225 a month, for facilities such as horse riding lessons and foreign teaching staff, is standard in large cities of advanced countries.

"We also have 10 to 20 percent of students on a scholarship basis," James Riady said. In the future, Riady said Lippo aims to set up lower-cost schools in areas where there are none. (anr)