Kemang area development still acceptable: Legislator

JAKARTA (JP): A legislator wants to know why the city is returning the Kemang commercial sites in South Jakarta to residential ones, saying favorable developments should be considered.

M. Sinambela of Commission X of the House of Representatives for development planning which oversees spatial plans said yesterday that commercial areas like those in Kemang developed naturally.

"A market does not develop by force ... If Pecenongan (the famous sidewalk food center in Central Jakarta) was moved to Bantar Gebang (Bekasi), it would not work that well," Sinambela said in a meeting with officials at City Hall.

He said only a few residents had complained about the traffic jams in Kemang, which has become a haven for cafes and other establishments.

"If I was the one to complain, I'd rather move," Sinambela said.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja issued a March 18 instruction to have all Kemang building permits checked, as many of its homes had become restaurants or other businesses. The instruction said no new permits would be issued until everything was in order.

Since then 18 establishments have been closed. Many were operating with housing instead of business permits. A similar operation is planned for West Jakarta.

Surjadi had earlier said abuses of Kemang's permits were to be partially blamed on the lack of coordination and supervision of city officials.

Sinambela said the city's revised spatial plans would include new projects such as the Manggarai integrated terminal and a 2,700-hectare reclamation project.

He said recognizing the new needs of the city should also be applied to the development in Kemang.

"Maybe in the original plans, developments (like Kemang) were not thought of," he said.

There were some zoning policies "which made people uncomfortable" about staying in their own areas, he said.

The policy to preserve Menteng as a residential site forbids residents from renting out their homes as offices.

"Many residents are pensioners living on Rp 300,000 (US$123) a month. They have to pay property taxes of up to Rp 3 million a year," Sinambela said. Living in a big house is a burden for them, he said.

"This is a new city problem we never thought of before," he said.

But at the meeting with Surjadi, the commission supported the city's firm stance.

Another legislator, M. Muas, said the governor told them that many people ask to be exempted from rules.

"If I don't, I am accused of being stiff," Muas said, quoting Surjadi.

"We support the Governor's unbending stance toward people who are only looking after their commercial and private interests," Muas said.

Earlier the Governor told his staff they should not give in to such requests, as it would result in many more demands. (anr/ste)