Legal businesses allowed to continue in Kemang

JAKARTA (JP): Business owners in Kemang who possess legal business permits will be allowed to continue their activities, Governor Sutiyoso said over the weekend.

The decision was made following the municipality's plan to develop Kemang into a model urban village in South Jakarta as proposed in a six-month study on the area, the governor said. The study was conducted by a special team from Bandung's Institute of Technology (ITB).

"Based on the evaluation by a special independent team to reassess buildings in the Kemang area, it is concluded that Kemang has unique environmental features to protect. The area still has the ability to be 'green'. There are still kampongs within the subdistrict.

"So I believe Kemang could become a visual 'village', which is green and unique and also emerges as a modern area which can accommodate its residents' needs," Sutiyoso said.

He said all business operators who have legal permits for their businesses may therefore continue to operate.

"But, for those who have none and have violated the regulation, their businesses have to be permanently closed down as soon as possible," he said.

According to Sutiyoso, the decision will soon be issued in a gubernatorial decree.

He, however, gave no specific date.

The governor did not disclose whether the proposed decree would lead to the revocation of the 1985/2005 city planning, which designates Kemang as a residential area.

Businesses in Kemang have made headlines over the past two years because of land use violations, with many homes in the area being converted into commercial premises over the last 15 years.

At least 248 commercial outlets, ranging from bars, cafes and restaurants to art shops, are scattered along the narrow streets of Kemang Raya, Bangka Raya and Prapanca.

Businesses, which according to existing regulations should occupy to only 15 percent of the area, account for more than 90 percent of Kemang's buildings.

Not surprisingly, the area's transformation has created new problems including traffic congestion, which is worsened by a lack of parking spaces and the demolition of sidewalks.

A gubernatorial decree was issued on March 18 last year, stating that all building permits in the area were to be checked in a bid to restore Kemang to its original purpose.

After confusion over whether Kemang businesses would be allowed to continue operating, Governor Sutiyoso announced last November the closure of 180 businesses which lacked proper permits.

Of the 180 businesses, only 54 have been closed so far.

Within the new concept proposed by the ITB team led by Muhammad Danisworo, who is also chairman of the city's architectural team, Sutiyoso hoped that the problems in Kemang could be solved.

The concept written in a statement dated Jan. 22 are divided into three phases: short term, middle term and long term.

In the short term (from Jan. 22 to July), the city administration will, among other things:

* Not issue any new business permits.

* Evaluate all businesses in Kemang and determine their status based on the existing regulation.

* Rearrange the permits in coordination with related city agencies.

* Set comprehensive Urban Design Guidelines to develop the area based on an urban village concept.

The middle term, which would take a year after the first phase is completed, would concentrate on developing public facilities in Kemang.

The last phase is to sort out all the problems of Kemang's rearrangement plan. The last phase is expected to be completed by 2002.

When asked to comment on the concept, city councilor Saud Rachman from Commission D for development affairs praised the municipality's decision but reminded the city to be shrewd in applying its policies.

"What is important now is for the municipality to be consistent in applying its decision. The new arrangement hopefully will bring a better environment to Kemang.

"It would be useless if eventually, because of lax supervision, there are business permits issued just because there is collusion between some officials and businesspeople," Saud said. (edt/ind)