NGOs call for class housing complec project
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have called on members of the public to file a class action suit against the developer of Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) housing complex in Kapuk Muara, North Jakarta.
At the same time, environmentalist also said that property tycoon Ciputra, who owns the project, former minister of forestry Hasjrul Harahap, and former governor Wiyogo Atmodarminto, who were both responsible for approving the project, should be investigated.
Chairman of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) Ahmad Safrudin said that a coalition of several NGOs had managed to collect signatures of 87 residents of Kapuk Muara as required by Environmental Law No. 23/1997 on class action suits.
Ahmad revealed that the NGOs include Walhi, the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), and the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL).
"The class action suit will be pursued by members of the public seeking appropriate compensation for damage to their property, while the NGOs will take legal action against those responsible for the damage," Ahmad told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Local residents have accused the luxury complex of causing the floods in the area.
The Pantai Indah Kapuk project was also blamed for the annual flooding of the toll road heading to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport like what happened on Monday.
Since its inception, environmentalists have opposed the project, as they predicted that it would affect the environment in the surrounding area.
Several environmentalists, including former minister of the environment Sony Keraf and Walhi's director Emmy Hafild, called for the investigation of Ciputra, Hasjrul, and Wiyogo, for violating the environmental law.
"Our fear that the PIK development would have a detrimental impact on the surrounding environment has been proven now as justified, therefore Ciputra, Hasjrul Harahap and Wiyogo should be investigated for violating the environmental law and the city's master land use plan," Emmy said on Thursday.
Sony stressed that before any legal action is taken, the Jakarta administration should conduct an investigation to determine the real cause of the annual flood.
Indra Bramono, public relations manager of PT Mandara Permai, the developer of Pantai Indah Kapuk housing complex, denied that his company's project caused the annual flooding. He also denied that it had violated the city's master plan for the Kapuk area.