Kemayoran residents seek councilors' help

JAKARTA (JP): Residents of Kebon Kosong and Gunung Sahari Selatan subdistricts in Central Jakarta urged city councilors yesterday to help them get fair compensation for property the government plans to use to create an ultramodern township.

They asked the councilors to mediate in their negotiations with the government and the developer. The residents claim that the project management determined the level of compensation without consulting them.

A six-member delegation representing 90 percent of the distraught Kemayoran residents discussed their problem with City Council members from Commission A in charge of administration affairs.

Delegation member Ahmad Mubakir said that the Kemayoran Area Development Board, which will develop the township, has never approached them to negotiate the compensation rate.

The residents have rejected the land compensation rate set by the board at between Rp 300,000 (US$133.74) and Rp 700,000 per square meter.

He said the board also tried to put into effect a plan to provide the residents with an equal amount of land, minus 10 percent of the area the developer will be required to use for the construction of public facilities in Kemayoran, as a relocation site.

"We rejected this proposal," Mubakir said.

He refused to state the precise the amount of compensation the residents want.

Chairman of the council's Commission A Mohamad Aman said that the councilors were willing to mediate in the negotiation between the residents, the government and the board.

"Any dialog between the parties seeking a better solution is always a good idea," he said. (32)