Sutiyoso declares an end to Bendi Park issue

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso announced yesterday the dispute between the city and a developer over the removal of trees from Bendi park in South Jakarta had been resolved after the firm apologized and promised to replant the trees.

Sutiyoso also disclosed that the firm had submitted a letter to him asking for permission.

But the developer of the triple-tier transit project, PT Citra Moda Margakencana Persada, had pulled out the trees -- originally planted by the municipality -- before obtaining the governor's approval.

"(In the letter) the developer just asked for my permission to use the plot for the groundbreaking ceremony but, before I replied to the letter, the firm had pulled out an excessive number of trees," he said.

"But there have been no more problems now as they have apologized."

The groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the Rp 6.2 trillion triple-tier transit project, scheduled to be held at Bendi Park yesterday, was abruptly canceled on the eve of the ceremony.

The developer's management announced that the ceremony was halted due to the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly next week.

The project is to consist of 23.65 kilometers of toll roads and 22 km of light-rail tracks connecting Kebayoran Lama in the south to Kota in the north.

Sutiyoso's soft approach to the developer's unauthorized act received strong criticism from environmental activists.

"The problem cannot be solved with just an apology," head of the public education division of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), Winoto, said.

"What the company did contravened the city plan, and if such a thing is ignored it will serve to weaken the existing laws."

He said the incident challenged the city administration to crack down on those who fail to follow regulations.

"It's high time the administration shows its authority."

Head of the field and environment division of the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Dewi Novirianti, said the developer had clearly broken the law and therefore it should be brought to court, through a class-action suit if people felt victimized.

"The tree planting was intended to support the lungs of the city, which are vital for the public," she said.

Dewi said the class action could proceed in the same way as the recent cases against state-owned electrical company, PLN, over the prolonged blackout in Java and Bali, or state-owned PT Jamsostek over the misuse of the social security fund.

But, a representative of PT Citra Moda Margakencana, Ngurah Astaman, who is in charge of the groundbreaking ceremony, said the company had received an official letter regarding the land- use permit and tree removal from the City Park Agency.

"We received it three days ago. As far as I'm concerned, the tree matter is just due to a lack of coordination. We intend to support the city's greening program, that's for sure," he told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

The letter also stated the number of trees that have to be removed and later kept at the agency's warehouse.

"But I'm glad the matter is solved. Once the replanting is finished, I guarantee that the area will be greener than before." (ind/edt)