Soeharto's new house 'built without permits'
Soeharto's new house 'built without permits'
JAKARTA (JP): A controversial house belonging to former
president Soeharto in Purna Bhakti Museum complex in Taman Mini
Indonesia Indah, East Jakarta, was reportedly built without any
permits, a City Hall official said yesterday.
The official, who asked not to be named, said the city
planning agency had never received any permit applications for
the construction of the house.
"Soeharto or his family have never gone through the required
steps, including paying the obliged levy to get a building permit
from the City Building Control and Supervision Agency," he said.
News about Soeharto's 3,000-square-meter house on a one-
hectare site in Taman Mini hit the headlines early this week
following the government's decision to give Soeharto a housing
allowance amounting to Rp 26.5 billion (US$1.92 million).
The allowance would be in lieu of a house which the former
president is entitled to for services rendered to the country.
The Taman Mini house was built in 1993.
The decision to give an allowance is in accordance with Law
No. 7/1978, which stipulates that former presidents and vice
presidents are entitled to certain gratuities, including a
pension, appropriate housing, a car and chauffeur, security
guards and a waiver on paying telephone, water and electric
bills.
The 120-hectare Taman Mini is a recreational site and home to
a number of various museums. It was established in 1972 and
inaugurated by Soeharto in 1975.
The City Hall official said that Taman Mini land was earmarked
for public buildings with big green areas, but houses could be
built in its surrounding areas.
According to him, someone intending to process building
permits should report to the city planning agency to have their
building site measured.
The agency also checks the land use appropriation before
asking the applicant to pay a levy, he said.
However, the official reiterated, he had no information on
whether Soeharto managed to obtain a building permit without
going through the standard procedures.
City councilor Lukman Mokoginta, a member of Commission D for
development affairs, said Governor Sutiyoso should take punitive
action against owners of any illegal buildings.
"The governor should maintain the regulation which applies to
everybody," he said.
However, he said the governor should first thoroughly check
the building and if he was sure that it was illegally
constructed, "the governor could impose a penalty or even
demolish the structure". (ind)