Tee Box Cafe, Millenia Boutique sealed
Tee Box Cafe, Millenia Boutique sealed
JAKARTA (JP): Accompanied by local police, officials from the
South Jakarta mayoralty office sealed off on Thursday two
residential houses used for commercial activities in the upmarket
Kebayoran Baru area.
No clashes occurred during the closure of Tee Box Cafe on Jl.
Wijaya II in Melawai subdistrict and Millenia Boutique on Jl.
Gunawarman in Rawa Barat subdistrict.
According to officials, both buildings violated local spatial
planning as all structures constructed on the land in the area
should only be used for residences, not for businesses.
A spokesman of the mayoralty, Haris, said he had no data about
the owners but a television station reported that the Tee Box
Cafe was owned by businessman Setya Novanto, who is also a member
of the People's Representative Assembly (MPR) and an executive of
Golkar Party faction.
"The officials sealed both houses for violating the spatial
planning regulations and the owners have no permits to run such
business," Haris said.
According to him, his office sent three warning letters prior
to the sealing-off of both houses.
"The City Tourism Agency only issued a license for a salon
with five employees to the owner of the Tee Box cafe, but the
owner expanded the business with a cafe employing 135 workers.
The license, however, expired in 1996," he added.
As for the Millennia Boutique, Haris said, there was no
license issued by any city agencies its operation.
"The area is only for housing, while commercial activities are
prohibited," he quoted head of South Jakarta City Building
Supervision Office, Irmawati, as saying.
Under the escort of South Jakarta Police chief Col. Nono
Suprijono and his men, the officials had no difficulty sealing
off the Tee Box Cafe as the building had been vacant for a week.
According to Nono, both owners allegedly violated Article 272
of City Bylaw No. 7/1997 on the usage of the buildings.
The officials first sealed the empty cafe at about 10 a.m. by
nailing a wooden notice to its front door and put a sticker on
other part of the door.
The cafe owner apparently shut the store a week ago, after
receiving three warning letters from the mayoralty.
From the cafe, the officials drove to the Millenia Boutique,
whose staff were busy serving several customers, and put a
sticker -- stating that the building was temporarily sealed off
-- on what was believed to be the entrance door.
The arrival and the action of the local officials did not
interrupt the business inside the shop. Some new customers even
entered the shop through the other doors of the boutique.
The Kebayoran Baru residential area was designed in the 50's
as a satellite town for Jakarta, including all facilities. But
the rapid development of the capital turned the area into one of
the most upmarket locations in the city.
Many expatriates choose areas in South Jakarta, such as
Kemang, as their favorite place to reside.
As a result, many owners of local houses hastily modify their
buildings into commercial places, such as cafes, restaurants,
furniture shops, art shops, beauty salons and boutiques.
The city administration has, however, insisted that certain
parts of South Jakarta are listed as restricted development areas
in an attempt to preserve their characteristics and uniqueness.
The area is expected to maintain its current physical
attributes and amenities, including trees and parks, as a model
for other residential areas in the capital.
Several years ago, a number of restaurants, cafes and shops
were also ordered to close their doors. (nvn/ylt)