Issuance of IMB to be simplified

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will simplify the issuance of permits to construct houses with a maximum size of 200 square meters in the capital starting next month, an official said recently.

City secretary Makmun Amin said the prime target of the scheme, to be implemented in stages until 2001, was aimed at helping Jakartans, particularly those in the middle and lower economic brackets, to obtain building permits (IMBs).

Under the new system, residents can obtain permits from the local district office and only have to wait nine days for the completion of the IMB documents instead of the current 24 days, Makmun said.

"In the initial phase, the service will be carried out in 10 districts across the capital, beginning in September," he said on Friday.

"The move is in line with the administration's plan to decentralized its public service at the district level," he added.

Head of the City Planning Agency Ahmaddin Ahmad explained that an IMB applicant only had to submit an application form, copies of an identity card, the land-ownership certificate and property tax receipts.

City Development Supervision Agency head Djumhana said that those who had constructed houses but had already applied for building permits would not be fined.

Djumhana also announced that, based on Gubernatorial Decree no. 63/2000 on the IMB levy, the fee that has to be paid by applicants, is set at Rp 400 per square meter for houses of less than 100 square meters in size, Rp 3,000 for houses less than 200 square meters, and Rp 5,000 for bigger buildings.

Separately, the chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at City Council, Audi Tambunan, welcomed the administration's scheme, saying that the move was in line with the aspirations of the public, especially those in middle to lower economic brackets, on significant service improvement.

"The program will help 60 percent of the public in Jakarta from the middle to lower economic groups," he said.

"Less bureaucracy could also cut unnecessary expenses on the service," Audi said. (lup)