S. Jakarta people seek adequate land payment

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta residents whose land will be affected by the Jl. TB. Simatupang outer ring road extension are asking for reasonable compensation.

"We support the project, but we also ask that compensation be paid based on the market price, not on government estimates as stated on property tax forms," said Tukimin, who is the head of a neighborhood in Bintaro Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta.

Tukimin, a retired sergeant major, said yesterday that land prices in his area range between Rp 325,000 (US$149.9) and Rp 335,000 ($154.5) per square meter, depending on the distance from the road.

He said that there are 20 families in his neighborhood whose land will be appropriated by the government for the project.

Suwardi, another community chief, said the project will affect nine families living on 4,119 square meters of land in his area.

"We don't have a problem with the plan as long as we receive proper compensation," he explained.

Suwardi and Tukimin said that they were informed about the appropriation plan at a meeting attended by officers from the Agency for the Coordination of Support of National Security, the National Land Agency, the Public Works Ministry and district and subdistrict offices.

Idon Didi Suwandi, who owns a 1,200-square-meter plot along Jl. Ciputat Raya in Pondok Pinang, said that all of his property will be affected by the project.

"I hope the government will base compensation on the market price. If they cannot, I hope the payment is at least based on the standard value of taxable property," he said.

The value of taxable property (NJOP) is the selling value of a plot or property stated on the property tax form.

Idon said that base on the NJOP standard, his land is priced at Rp 900,000 ($415) per square meter.

"But according to the market price my land is worth Rp 2 million ($922) per square meter," he said.

The Jl. TB. Simatupang extension will cover 630,000 square meters of land in Pondok Pinang, Bintaro, Ulujami, Petukangan Utara and Petukangan Selatan.

M. Yanis, a spokesman for the South Jakarta mayoralty, told The Jakarta Post last week that the city administration has listed all the plots and properties to be affected by the seven- kilometer extension.

The outer ring road will be constructed by the Ministry of Public Works and is financed by the World Bank through the Jakarta Urban Development Program. (03)