Seven developers fined for building without licenses

Seven developers fined for building without licenses

JAKARTA (JP): The Municipal Administration has reprimanded seven large-scale developers for constructing luxury apartments, shopping centers, office buildings and other projects without licenses.

Suharto, the head of the City Development Supervision Office, announced yesterday that each of the seven companies would be fined between six to 12 times the normal fee price for the processing of a building permit.

"Four of the seven developers have already paid the fines," said Suharto, "while the other three are still in the process of paying."

Soni Harsono, the State Minister for Agrarian Affairs/Chief of National Land Affairs Board, also expressed his concern with the many buildings being set up without permits. Despite the absence of permits, some developers have already sold their apartments to the public, he said on Saturday.

Suharto said that his office issued 16,766 building permits in 1994/1995 fiscal year, out of 17,204 requested. Out of 16,113 proposals in 1993/1994, the office issued 15,771 permits.

"At the moment, 21 apartments have been completed and another 51 apartment projects are still under construction," he said.

In 1994/1995 building permit processing fees, which were targeted to reach Rp 35 billion (US$15.9 million), reached Rp 46 billion. By comparison the office collected Rp 37 billion in fees in 1993/1994, far exceeding the target of Rp 31.5 billion.

Suharto said that in the current 1995/1996 fiscal year, which started last month, his office had collected Rp 4.67 billion in building permit processing fees. This year's target is Rp 36 billion.

Meanwhile, Helmy AR. Syihab, chairman of the Commission C of the City Council, urged the office to create a special team to collect the permit fees from the developers. (31)