Sutiyoso denies renewing permits for gas stations

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration is promising to put a stop to the issuance of permits for the operation of gas stations located in the greenbelt, Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday.

"We won't extend the permits anymore. Let the permits end."

He said the sites of the gas stations would be returned to use as green areas in the capital.

However, stations selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) will be exempted from the action, Sutiyoso said.

City Hall data reveal that some of the 21 privately owned gas stations operating in designated green-belt areas -- originally the site of trees and plants -- are run by businessman Taufik Kiemas, husband of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, and Guntur Soekarnoputra, the oldest brother of Megawati.

Some of the stations operating which would stand to be shut under the new ruling are at Jl. Pejompongan and Jl. Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta, and Jl. Lapangan Ros, South Jakarta.

Two gas stations at Semanggi cloverleaf in Central Jakarta, which is also a designated green area, would not be included because they offer the gas products.

The announcement was surprising because the administration has rarely moved to stop the operations of gas stations in green areas in the past, despite several pertinent rulings.

Megawati was elected as vice president last Thursday.

For years, the owners of the gas stations have paid a form of rental fee to the city administration as owner of the land.

No one in the city administration was willing to discuss the amount of the rental fees.

A restriction on the building of gas stations in the greenbelt in Jakarta was introduced three years ago through Gubernatorial Decree No. 646/1.824.133, dated 11 March, 1996. It ruled that the sites should be returned to their initial functions as part of the city's regreening campaign.

At least three stations built in green areas were closed down and their sites converted to green areas. They were located on Jl. Musi and Jl. Kalibesar Timur in West Jakarta, and on Jl. Lapangan Banteng Selatan in Central Jakarta.

In the same year, however, the deputy governor issued decree 3558/1.853.2 dated Dec. 18, 1996, and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) number 1439/1996, which stated that the remaining 21 fuel stations built in the green areas would be allowed to continue operating provided they offered liquefied gas filling facilities.

The MOU was signed by then deputy governor for economic and development affairs, Tubagus M. Rais, PT Hiswana Migas and PT Otogas Karya Pratama, a company owned by relatives of Ibnu Sutowo, a former president of state oil and gas company Pertamina.

Under the agreement, the municipality in return receives Rp 15 per liter of liquefied gas sold at each of the 21 stations.

However, only a few of the stations currently provide liquefied gas filling facilities. (jun)