Social control needed to prevent collusion: Governor

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja threatened once again yesterday to take firm actions against developers who violate regulations and city's officials found guilty of colluding with them.

Surjadi made the remarks in response to reports that there is collusion between developers and city's officials in handling the construction of facilities, in exchange for city-owned properties to be demolished to make way for the construction of modern buildings.

City Council revealed on Wednesday the alleged collusion between certain officials of the city's cemetery office and PT Angkasa Interland, a real estate developer. The developer has reportedly built fences on a plot of land in Menteng Pulo, South Jakarta, which is owned by the office, even though the exchange process has not yet been completed.

In a meeting with members of the City Council, the developer claimed that it built the fence with the approval of the cemetery office, but admitted that the exchange process has not yet been approved by City Council.

Based on existing rules, the exchange agreement, in which the developer builds certain facilities in exchange for the procurement of a plot of land owned by the city administration, has to get approval from both the governor's office and City Council.

The governor said he will not hesitate to take stern action against the negligent developers. If unheeded, these actions could lead to the revocation all their licenses.

He also stressed that social control plays an important role in controlling the city's personnel. "This thing frequently happens because of the absence of such control," Surjadi said.

He said that the number of violations would fall if there is stronger control, including the one from the printed media. On the other hand violations would increase if the control is weak.

Surjadi also said that there is a possibility that developers bribe officials to bypass certain procedures.

Surjadi said he will be consistent in giving sanctions to developers violating existing regulations. (yns)