Regent's directive needed

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): A Tangerang regency regulation issued last year on a levy imposed on privately-owned market building owners has yet to be enforced, pending the regent's directive.

The head of the Tangerang Market Authority, Bunyamin, said yesterday that the market authority, which is responsible for enforcing the regulation, has done nothing due to the absence of the directive.

"What the market authority has done is listed the market buildings built by private companies in Tangerang," he said.

According to regulation No. 8/1995 issued more than six months ago, the buildings' owners are subject to pay a monthly levy between Rp 500 and Rp 1,000 to the regency revenue office for each square meter of flooring of the market buildings they own.

There are presently at least 20 supermarkets, malls and shopping centers operating in housing complexes built by private companies in Tangerang, Bunyamin said.

The regency oversees 17 market buildings built by the government. "They contribute around Rp 300 million (US$130,434) in regency revenue annually," Bunyamin said.

"Had the directive been issued, the regency would have collected hundreds of thousands of rupiah in revenue from the businessmen," he said. (18/sur)