Security remains a concern for PIK residents
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Living in a plush housing complex may be the dream of many. But, residing there doesn't necessarily mean life is a fairy tale, at least for some residents of the upmarket Pantai Indah Kapuk housing estate near the coast in Kapuk, North Jakarta.
They admitted to enjoying all the creature comforts but they did not feel totally secure, even though there was 24-hour security.
Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK, the Kapuk Beautiful Beach) housing complex made headlines earlier this year when many blamed its development as a factor that worsened the floods that hit the capital in January and February.
In 1998, the housing complex was the target of looting and burning during the May riots.
"We do enjoy all the comforts from facilities available in the housing estate. But, we are still scared of possible looting and burning like what happened during the May riots in 1998," said Ninik, 31, who has been living in the complex for five years.
She said an unidentified group of people had looted her house even though before the riots occurred. The neighborhood unit chief had collected money and given it to the poor people living nearby.
The poor live in a number of shabby huts on one of the banks of the Muara Angke River. On the other side, there are the huge and regal buildings that make up PIK.
PIK is located at the right and left sides of the Soekarno- Hatta airport toll road. The 1,160 hectare area where PIK is now situated used to be a lush mangrove forest before a concession was granted in 1989 by the city to developer PT Mandara Permai.
Early this year, a part of the toll road was inundated by flood water. A few days later, many parts of the city were hit by huge floods.
PIK was not affected, but Ninik worried that something bad, such as riots, might happen, even though she and other PIK residents had collected money to help the flood victims outside the housing complex. Fortunately, her fear has not materialized.
Ninik, who has one child, claimed that she was not aware that the development of PIK contributed to the recent floods. She did not know, either, that the estate's retention dams might also cause flooding in other areas of North Jakarta.
And she had no intention to move to another place as she believed that PIK was quite safe compared to other housing estates.
Besides, Ninik said, PIK offers all the comforts to live like a royal family, including the ever-green golf course, a tennis court, a swimming pool, as well as entertainment and recreation spots, besides a hospital.
"All we need is here," she said.
The facilities, however, fail to make Hariyati, 50, live peacefully.
She worried about theft or robbery that might occur at anytime even though there were security guards in the complex.
"They are too materialistic. They often ask for 'cigarette money' when we pass their gates," she complained.
Hariyati, who moved to PIK following the recent floods that inundated her house at Pluit, North Jakarta, said she might move back to Pluit.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Sutanto who has a palatial house at PIK Mediterania said that the comforts she obtained were greater than the discomforts.
"It's nice to stay here and I have no intention at all of moving," Vanessa said.
She added that the land price also continue to increase year by year.
When she purchased the land in 1996, the price stood at Rp 1.4 million a square meter. "But now, it jumps sharply four times to Rp 4.5 million a square meter."
Outside the luxurious PIK Mediterania, the land is priced at Rp 3.5 million a square meter.
As for the accusation that PIK had contributed to the recent floods, Vanessa said it had nothing to do with the residents.
"Just ask the developer," she said.