More houses built illegally

More houses built illegally

BEKASI (JP): As the unrest triggered by the cancellation of a
housing project in an irrigated area still lingers, another
realtor has confessed to building 48 houses before having
official permits.

The 21-square-meter houses on a 3,500-square-meter plot of
land were built by PT Miyagi in Mustikasari, Bantargebang
district.

Each house is to be sold on a credit basis, with a down
payment of Rp 2 million (U$890) and monthly installments of Rp
100,000 over a period of seven years.

Director of PT Miyagi Ida Sutisna told journalists on
Wednesday that the building permits are still being processed by
the local government.

She insisted that because she has "only" 3,500 square meters
of land on which to build the houses, an official permit to
acquire the property is not necessary.

"What we need to do is to give written notice to the Bekasi
Development Planning Board," she said in reply to worries that
the absence of an acquisition permit would further complicate the
project.

Meanwhile, PT Tigaputro Intipersada, which has failed to
obtain an official building permit for its housing project in the
Tambun district, has decided to refund the down payments of its
1,000 customers who have each paid between Rp 1.2 million and Rp
4,8 million.

The firm's marketing director Harry said that the customers
can obtain their refunds at his office in North Jakarta.

PT Tigaputro Intipersada intended to build 800 houses of
different types and sizes but the local government refused to
issue a permit because the proposed site is located in a fertile
irrigated area.

It appropriated 17 hectares of land which the subdistrict
chief assured was unproductive land.

Deputy regent Dede Satibi said that the area the company has
appropriated is very fertile and cannot be converted into a
residential area.

Chief of the Bekasi Development Planning Board Asnawi
Singarimbun called on the public to be careful when buying houses
from realtors.

People should find out things like the legal status of the
land before they decide to buy, he said. (12/pan)