Sutiyoso gives up fight over Senayan

JAKARTA: Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday he would not continue his struggle to take the Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and the ex-Kemayoran Airport lands from the control of the state secretary.

"I am already tired of the issue. Although existing law authorizes the city administration to control them (the properties), the central government is reluctant to give them up to us," he said.

Sutiyoso was referring to Law No. 34/1999 on Jakarta as the special capital administration, which authorizes the city administration to take over several facilities still controlled by the central government, such as the Bung Karno Sports Complex and ex-Kamayoran Airport land.

The State Secretariat, however, is reluctant to hand them over to the city administration as they consider them valuable properties.

The city is also eying other lucrative places still under the control of the central government including toll roads and the Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta. --JP