Koja people to go to Supreme Court

JAKARTA (JP): Koja Utara residents plan to take their case over the appropriation of the state-owned land they are occupying to the Supreme Court after the Jakarta Administration Court said it had no authority to decide their fate, an executive of the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) said yesterday.

"We will bring the case to the Supreme Court within two weeks," said Waskito Adiribowo, LBH's division chief for land affairs.

According to Waskito, two Koja Utara residents, Noor Alam Baso and Yansen Ismail, have urged the North Jakarta Mayor to revoke his decree on the amount of compensation.

The mayor determined compensation to be no more than Rp 165,000 (US$75) a square meter.

The residents rejected the amount as too low.

Through the LBH they brought the case to the Administrative Court, however, the court rejected the case on Friday, Waskito said.

"In the second decision the Administrative Court suggested that the residents bring the case to the Supreme Court. This is an interesting decision because usually such a decision is be made without any reservation," said Waskito.

The dispute arose after state-owned company PT Pelindo II announced last year it would appropriate 90 hectares of land which was initially inhabited by more than 9,000 families. More than 1,500 families remain on the land. The company plans to build a cargo terminal in a joint-venture with PT Humpuss, the widely diversified business group owned by Hutomo Mandala Putra.

After a series of negotiations ended in deadlock, North Jakarta Mayor Suprawito decreed that compensation would be Rp 100,000 to Rp 165,000 a square meter. Koja residents, however, initially insisted that compensation be set at Rp 2.275 million per square meter. (01)