Lippo's hypocrisy
Lippo's hypocrisy
I bought my house (by credit), two years ago, and just two
weeks ago made my last payment to Lippo, so now the house is paid
for, having worked very hard to find the monthly payments of Rp
5,400,000 a month.
Once I'd made my last payment, I resigned from my job at the
Korean International School, where I have been working as an
English teacher, and where I was earning US$2,000 a month.
The reason I bought my house is because it has the most
beautiful, panoramic and serene view. My house is situated
opposite about five kilometers of terraced rice fields, rising to
a hill. There are water buffaloes and locals working in the
fields. To me it's like a piece of Bali but close enough for me
to be able to work in Jakarta.
When I, as everyone else in my street, bought a house here we
were all told the same thing: Lippo would never build on the
sawah, but in five years time it would become a golf course. You
can be sure that I checked and rechecked on this vitally
important information. Always I was told the same thing. No, they
would not build there, it's a hill. It would be a golf course.
So, as everything was finally paid for I quit my job at the
Korean School. I felt I needed a break.
Just a few days after I quit, to my horror I saw bulldozers
moving across the sawah, to the left of my house. A neighbor
informed me that Lippo were going to build factories on the land.
I was extremely angry and phoned Lippo only to be asked "Who told
you it was going to be a golf course?" I can't remember the names
of the people. I can just say what all my neighbors are saying --
we were all told the same story. One neighbor claims to have seen
plans for the golf course -- but it seems that maybe no one kept
the plans, certainly not Lippo.
I've been round to the Lippo main office in Cikarang, and I
shouted and shrieked in front of the Estate Managers who just
look at me in a very puzzled way whenever I mentioned "golf
course".
The other day I telephoned Lippo yet again, now asking about
compensation. I was told there was no compensation.
I detected more than a little hypocrisy in the way Lippo is
"managing" its customers, and Lippo can be assured of this -- from
now on jungle law rules in my street.
SUSAN WILLIAMS
Cikarang, West Java