Probe in works over misuse of state property

Probe in works over misuse of state property

TANGERANG (JP): The Tangerang District Prosecutor's Office
will investigate the takeover of a 10-hectare state-owned plot of
land in Babakan subdistrict, the head of the prosecutor's office,
Noor Asikin, said.

He said on Wednesday his office was gathering data on state
assets that allegedly were obtained illegally by officials and
local residents.

"We'll soon establish a team to track down the owners of the
state plots. We'll impose sanctions against whoever is proven
guilty in this case.

"State property must be retained as a national asset and
cannot be taken over or sold for other purposes," he said.

Noor hinted the illegal take over of the land had been going
on since last May.

"The area houses some 200 plots, with each plot ranging from
200 square meters up to 2,000 square meters. Most of the plots
are empty, with bushes and wild plants on the land.

"To my surprise, the ownership of the plots was shifted to
individuals, complete with land-ownership documents issued by the
National Land Agency (BPN)," he said.

According to reports, the dispute began when BPN granted a
land-use permit to private developer PT Mayo Waya, which planned
to build a park, shopping mall and hotel on the plot.

The permit was issued by the Tangerang mayor on Nov. 3, 1998,
and endorsed by the head of the local industrial office on Nov.
30, 1998.

The development plan was in accordance with Tangerang City
bylaws No. 14/1994 and No. 19/1994 on basic development and city
spatial planning, respectively. The plot itself is designed for
business, office and service space, while its status is that of a
state property in the form of swamps, vegetables gardens, empty
plots and villages.

"Knowing that PT Mayo Waya was going to acquire the land and
pay proper compensation for it, locals and officials thronged to
acquire the plots before reselling them to the developer.

"The locals and officials applied for ownership documents for
the plots, which were later endorsed by BPN," Noor said.

The former head of the Tangerang Mayoralty Council, Muchtar
Djamil, said he had received a land-ownership certificate for one
of the plots last year.

"Somebody gave me a certificate for a 325-square-meter plot in
Babakan. I have no idea about it and never asked for the plot.

"Because the document was legal ... I took it anyway,"
Muchtar, who is now chairman of the Golkar Party in Tangerang,
said.

Rudi A. Dinuri, an assistant for development administration in
the Tangerang mayoralty who also possesses a land-ownership
certificate, said all the ownership certificates for the plots
were issued by BPN.

"The National Land Agency is the only party authorized to
issue the certificates. In this case, I'm not the only person who
received a certificate. Many officials here also possess plots as
they were given certificates.

"BPN should properly explain this matter," he said.

Rudi, a former staffer in the Tangerang mayoralty's public
relations department, said there were inconsistencies on his
land-ownership certificate.

"My date of birth is Oct. 27, 1957, but on the land document
it appears as Dec. 11, 1957," he said.

Details on those officials who received land-ownership
certificates for the plots were unavailable. (41/edt)