Sutiyoso to set new decree on Pulo Gebang bus terminal
Sutiyoso to set new decree on Pulo Gebang bus terminal
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration announced on Monday that
it planned to issue a new gubernatorial decree which would allot
10-hectares of land owned by state-owned developer Perumnas, in
Pulo Gebang, as a plot of land for a bus terminal to replace Pulo
Gadung in East Jakarta.
"That's the best option. It can be easily reached from
anywhere," Governor Sutiyoso told reporters after attending a
plenary session of the City Council.
Due to the plan to issue the new decree, Sutiyoso said the
administration would soon revoke gubernatorial decree 1272/1990
which had designated another plot of land owned by private firms
PT Asmawi Corporation (Asco) and PT Nusuno Karya Mandiri.
He revealed that the administration cooperated with a private
firm PT Rodial Eron in the 1990s in appropriating the land
belonging to PT Asco and PT Nusuno for the development of the bus
terminal.
"Due to the economic crisis, PT Rodial stated that it could
appropriate the land but withdrew from the development project.
The land also has many problems (with residents)," he said.
Asked about PT Nusuno's plan to sue the administration for
failing to buy the land, Sutiyoso said it would be ready to face
any legal action.
"However, we have no connection with the company (PT Nusuno).
Our dealings are with PT Rodial," he argued.
Asked about the possibility that the City Council would reject
Perumnas's land, Sutiyoso said that the council should have
adequate reasons.
Three land sites for the development of the bus terminal have
been debated over by officials of the city administration and
members of the City Council. One belongs to Perumnas and the
others belong to PT Asco and PT Nusuno.
The decree No. 1272/1990 designates about 60 hectares of land,
which is under the "authority" of PT Asco and PT Nusuno, as the
site for the bus terminal. And because the land had to be
vacated, owners were not allowed to build any structures on it.
Councillor Maringan Pangaribuan of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle said the administration had earlier planned to
build the terminal on Asco's land, which was reportedly
controlled by city secretary Fauzi Bowo's father-in-law Asmawi
Manaf.
However, Maringan said since Asco's land certificate was
incomplete, the administration proposed to build the terminal on
Perumnas' land.
"Why don't we choose Nusuno's land, the documents of which are
complete? We could face a lawsuit if we just revoke the decree,"
said Maringan who is a member of the council's commission D for
development affairs.
Last week, several councillors were invited by Nusuno's
president Cipto Sulistio to inspect the land.
Maringan argued that the council refused to approve Perumnas's
land because it was still a swamp area, which would need an
additional Rp 12 billion (US$1.3 million) in funding to redevelop
it before being used as the site for the bus terminal.
"The project would also take longer, as the reclamation would
take three years," he said.
He suspected corruption may be involved in the allotment of
Perumnas' land site.
The 2001 city budget allocated Rp 40 billion for the land
appropriation for the terminal, which was estimated to cost about
Rp 200 billion to construct.
Meanwhile, city secretary Fauzi Bowo, denied on Monday that he
had any connection with PT Asco.
"Who told you that I have any connection with PT Asco. I'd
better just ignore that comment," Fauzi said emotionally.
Fauzi said his office would process the new gubernatorial
decree shortly, on the Pulo Gebang terminal after a review on the
matter was completed. Fauzi said that the public needed to know
about the city's decision on the terminal.
"The decision should be made quickly since people need it
badly. We can no longer rely on the overcrowded Pulo Gadung
terminal," Fauzi told reporters. (jun)