Tangerang regent censures officials for land fraud
TANGERANG, West Java (JP): Tangerang Regent Saifullah AR has reprimanded three local officials for illegally selling residents' land to a private company.
The regency spokesperson, Ena Karlina, said on Saturday that the regent had ordered the chief of Kadu village, Marta, and the regency inspector, Ichwan Zulmi, to withdraw the letters and documents they issued for the sale of a 3,000 square meter plot of land in Kadu to PT Transeculindo Hotel.
According to Ena, Marta and Ichwan had falsified documents to indicate that the regency approved the sale of the plot of land classified as wakaf, meaning land allotted by residents for religious purposes. The falsified papers were then legalized by the Curug district head.
"The three officials must take responsibility for any illegal actions," Ena quoted the regent as saying.
If found guilty the three could face harsh administrative punishment, she said.
The inhabitants of Kadu reported to the regent early this year about the illegal sale of the plot of land. They reported that they knew nothing about the transaction.
Reports said the land was sold to the hotel developer at Rp 100,000 per square meter, meaning that the officials collected a total of Rp 300 million (US$128,259) without the knowledge of the regent and the residents.
Ahmad Yani, a Kadu villager, said that the three officials had used a total of Rp 125,292,000 to purchase other plots of land, which they were offering the residents in compensation for the wakaf land they sold.
He also said that before selling the land for the hotel, the village head had rented some of the plot to eight families and pocketed all of the rental money. When the land was sold he gave Rp 11,750,000 to the eight families renting the land to get them off the plot quickly.
"What the residents know is that they have spent a total of Rp 143,042,000. So where is the remaining Rp 156,958,000?," Ahmad Yani asked.
"I once asked the village head about the money. He simply said it was the inspector who kept the money," he told The Jakarta Post.
The village head, the district head and the inspector were not available for comment on the alleged fraud. (18/sur)