Monas gas station may operate

Monas gas station may operate

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso decided yesterday to allow a
gas station located in the National Monument (Monas) park in
Central Jakarta to operate temporarily until the completion of an
underground parking lot in the area.

Sutiyoso was quoted by City Hall spokesman Kamaluddin Santos
as saying that the existence of the gas station would be
tolerated until the construction of the underground parking lot
was completed between 1998 and 2000.

"The Monas park is determined as a green area so any buildings
there are temporary," said Sutiyoso after leading a meeting on
the upgrading of Medan Merdeka Square, where Monas is located.

The existence of the gas station in the Monas park sparked
controversy because the area is a designated green area.

Commenting on the governor's decision, the head of City
Council Commission C for financial affairs, Amarullah Asbah,
shrugged and said: "Councilors had expressed their objections,
but implementation is up to the executives."

The head of Commission E for welfare affairs, Soeparmo, said
the action taken by the municipality was the best way for now.

"It's already built. What can we do about it? Right now the
decision to revoke the gas station's license is in the hands of
the governor," he said.

"Let's wait and see," he added.

The station was jointly built by private firm PT Otogas Karya
Pratama and the municipality.

It was reported that the governor had been scheduled to
inaugurate the gas station on Oct. 27, but Kamaluddin denied the
report. (07/05)