Pardjoko upsets councilors

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors in Commission E for social welfare said yesterday they were disappointed South Jakarta Mayor Pardjoko did not attend a meeting with them to discuss a plan to move the mayoralty office.

The commission's head, Soeparmo, said mayor's staff had confirmed the mayor would attend which was held at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.

"His staff, who were already in the meeting room, even told us the mayor was on the way," Soeparmo said.

But Mayor Pardjoko did not show up until the meeting ended about 12 p.m.

There was no reason given for his absence, Soeparmo said.

"We then asked his staff to leave the meeting," he said.

The commission wanted to ask the mayor for background information and details on the mayoralty's plan to move its office from Jl. Trunojoyo where it sits between the ASEAN Secretariat and the National Police Headquarters.

"But, what we could ask if the mayor himself did not show up?" Soeparmo asked.

The South Jakarta Mayoralty has proposed moving its office further south to the Blok P public cemetery on Jl. Prapanca Raya.

The new building, with an estimated cost of Rp 54.8 billion ($19.23 million) would involve removing all of the 4,626 graves in the 4.7-hectare cemetery which has been closed since 1975.

Soeparmo said removing a city-owned cemetery needed City Council approval.

"The construction of a mayoralty office also requires the governor's approval," he said.

The proposed three-block office complex would be built on 25,370 square meters.

Its main office will be a 16-story building. Two four-story buildings will be built for public service offices.

Soeparmo said the mayor should also approach the relatives of people buried in the cemetery before removing their remains.

Among those buried in the cemetery is Army Gen. (ret) A.H. Nasution's daughter, Ade Irma Suryani Nasution, who was shot to death in the September 1965 communist rebellion.

A deputy governor should meet Nasution and ask for his permission before disturbing his daughter's grave, Soeparmo said.

"The grave has historic value," he said. (jun)