Study says new municipality feasible
Multa Fidrus The Jakarta Post/Tangerang
A recent study revealed the feasibility of merging six districts in Tangerang to form a new municipality, with the only thing lacking in the area being a five-star hotel.
The feasibility study will be submitted by both the Joint Committee (KBPKO) and the Coordinating Body for the Establishment of an Independent Cipasera to the Tangerang council in response to residents' demand for the formation of the municipality, which would border on Jakarta.
"The absence of a big hotel is just a minor thing we can overcome in the near future. But we have met the other requirements to be an independent municipality," KBPKO secretary- general Hidayat Suhali told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
The study was performed by a team of experts led by Mirzain, a professor at the State Islamic University of Syarifhidayatullah and Benyamin Husein, a regional autonomy expert at the National Atomic Energy Agency and a professor at the Jakarta Muhamadiyah University.
Coordinating body chairman Margiono, who is also the director of Rakyat Merdeka daily, said Cipasera municipality would consist of six districts in the southern part of Tangerang regency -- Ciputat, Pamulang, Pondok Aren, Serpong, Pagendangan and Cisauk. These six districts consist of industrial and residential areas, and account for 27 percent of the total area of Tangerang.
"The administration will be led by a mayor, who will carry out the administrative tasks along with a council, in line with Law No. 32/2004 on regional administrations," Margiono said, adding that he expected the plan to materialize in 2006.
TB. Rachmatullah, a local leader in Ciputat, said the area had a total population of about 1.1 million, or 30 percent of Tangerang regency's total population. Included in that population are 15 of 45 regency councillors, 11 of 75 Banten provincial councillors and eight members of the House of Representatives.
"The presence of the Development Center for Science and Technology in Serpong, as well as many universities and good schools, in addition to the high mobility of residents and the rapid growth of shopping and trade centers, plus good traffic, make it possible for the area to become a new municipality," Rachmatullah said.