School buildings in Bekasi collapse

School buildings in Bekasi collapse

JAKARTA (JP): Six new elementary school buildings in Bekasi have collapsed during the past month. Poor quality building materials, strong winds and incessant heavy rain have been blamed for the collapses.

The most recent school to fall apart was SD Bina Lindung in Pondok Gede. It collapsed on Jan.26, the Jayakarta daily reported.

The Bekasi administration has warned the contractors and has threatened to withdraw their licenses if they continue to build shoddy structures, Bekasi administration spokeswoman Yaya Ruyatnasih said.

She added that the Bekasi regent, Moch. Djamhari, recently met with a group of developers and contractors. During the meeting the regent warned them that he would black-list anyone who continued to construct below standard schools.

The chairman of the Bekasi office of the Indonesian Contractors Union, Zainal Arifin, said he fully understood the administration's complaint and promised to tighten supervision of the union's members. (30)