Officials powerless against bylaw violators

Officials powerless against bylaw violators

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The bylaw stipulates clearly that the riverbanks, which are
included as green areas, must be free from buildings. The fact
shows that two fancy restaurants are standing on the Cisadane
riverbank.

However, the Tangerang municipal administration turns a blind
eye to the reality.

The first restaurant is the Istana Nelayan, located on a
4,500-square-meter lot in Kebon Nanas area and adjacent to the
Jakarta-Merak toll road on 19.5 kilometer mark heading to the
capital. The second is the newly opened Selera Kuring restaurant
on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan in Tangerang.

The Istana Nelayan general manager, Sandi Kumara, denied that
the restaurant's presence has violated the bylaw.

"We rent the area on the riverbank from the Tangerang
Irrigation Agency Office. We built the restaurant 30 meters away
from the riverbank so we don't break the border line. We have
also grown plants to provide good views," he told The Jakarta
Post.

He even said that the restaurant has extended the contract on
the land for the second year. Each year the restaurant must pay
Rp 1,125,000 to the agency office.

The Tangerang administration deputy on development control and
supervision, Harry Mulya Zain, admitted that both restaurants
presence has violated the bylaw but he could not take any
measures.

"I have no authority," he claimed.

Harry explained that his authority was limited only to control
and supervise the development activities financed by the
municipal administration.

He pointed his finger to the Permit and Capital Investment
Agency, Public Works Agency, Irrigation Agency and Tourism Agency
as the ones who were supposed to be responsible for issuing the
permits to both restaurants.

The Public Policy Study Institution (LKP) director, Ibnu
Jandi, said the presence of both restaurants has violated Article
4 Bylaw No. 6/1994 on riverbank border line. But none of the
administration officials have taken stern measures although the
institution has protested previously.

He said the bylaw, which is also strengthened by the Ministry
of Home Affairs regulation No. 63/PRT/1993, stipulated that the
violator must be sentenced to three-month prison term and the
building must be demolished.

"The two restaurants presence at the riverbanks can create
discrimination as the Cisadane riverbanks have interesting areas
for business," Jandi told the Post.

The Solidarity for Indonesian Community (Somasi), also focuses
its study on public policy, said the administration has broken
its own bylaw by issuing permits for both restaurants.

"The administration officials are paid to enforce the law, but
they did just the opposite. How can we trust that there is law
enforcement here?" Somasi chairman, Icung Noor, said.