Study supports idea of new municipality

Study supports idea of new municipality

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,
with 27 percent of the total area being made up of business
districts.

"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.