Sutiyoso threatens to sue developer

Sutiyoso threatens to sue developer

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

City administration officials have threatened legal action
against the developer of a North Jakarta housing complex to
finance construction of a dam to prevent flooding in the area,
which includes the vital toll road that leads to Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport.

On Wednesday, Governor Sutiyoso threatened to bring the
developer, PT Mandara Permai, which is jointly controlled by two
businessmen, Ciputra and Sudono Salim, to court if it refused the
financing deal that was a precondition to the issuance of a
housing permit for the luxurious Pantai Indah Kapuk complex.

"Building a dam was a requirement for the permit for the
housing complex; We will bring the developer to court if they
breach this requirement," Sutiyoso told reporters.

The developer has often been blamed for repeated flooding
along the toll road and its surrounding areas.

Many people, particularly local residents, believe that the
flooding is the result of the development of the complex on land
which was once home to mangrove forests and swamp areas, which
functioned as a natural water catchment.

The Ministry of Forestry reportedly issued the permit to build
housing on the site.

However, residents have said that city administration
officials should also be held accountable, too, since the City
Environmental Office issued the environmental impact analysis
(AMDAL) to the developer.

Head of the City Public Works Agency, IGKG Suena, said his
office will soon discuss the construction of the dam in talks
with the ministry and the developer.

Earlier, Suena said that the city would provide 4,000 square
meters of land worth Rp 2.5 billion (US$250,000) for the dam,
adding that its construction should be financed by the developer
and city-owned developer BPL Pluit, which built the nearby Pluit
housing complex.

The developer of the Pantai Indah Kapuk had previously
promised to help pay for the construction of the dam.