NGOs call for class housing complec project

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.