Unused land opened to poor

JAKARTA (JP): The West Jakarta mayoralty will allow poor people suffering from the economic crisis to cultivate over 200 hectares of land owned by property developers which have fallen into disuse.

Mayor Sutardjianto said Tuesday he was preparing legislation guaranteeing that the developers would retain ownership of their land and would be able to reclaim the properties at any time.

"When the developer needs the land, the tillers will have to move," he was quoted as saying by Antara yesterday.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso has called on owners of unused land to make the properties available for poor residents in the area to cultivate to help them survive the deepening economic crisis.

"We will make sure that the prospective cultivators are real farmers so that they will not give it to someone else," Sutardjianto said.

The land will be planted with quick-yielding crops such as peanuts, soybeans, corn and vegetables. (pan)