West Jakarta Mayor sued by residents at PTUN over crematorium permit

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Kalideres residents have filed a lawsuit with the Jakarta Administrative Court (PTUN) against the Mayor of West Jakarta, Iin Mutmainnah, over the granting of the Building Permit (PBG) for the Swarga Abadi Crematorium project on Jalan Utan Jati. Budiman Tandiono, coordinator of residents of Citra Garden 2, said the suit, registered under case number 83/G/2026/PTUN JKT, was filed because residents believe the crematorium permit violates local regulations. ‘The defendant is the Mayor of West Jakarta Administrative City, in her capacity as Head of the Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Unit (PM-PTSP) of West Jakarta City,’ Budiman said when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday. The legal step was taken last week and has now been officially registered with the court. ‘Yes, yesterday we residents of Kalideres and Pegadungan rejected the funeral home and crematorium; we have registered a suit with PTUN over the project permit,’ he said. According to Budiman, the subject of the suit is the Building Permit letter that the developer currently holds, despite not having an environmental permit. The legal basis relied on is Regional Regulation No. 3 of 2007 on Burial, particularly Article 7(a), which prohibits the establishment of crematorium facilities in densely populated residential areas. ‘The suit concerns the Building Permit. Because the grant of the Building Permit and the construction violate the rules, violate the regional regulation, which says you cannot build in the middle of dense residential areas,’ Budiman said. He explained that the legal action is taken collectively under the banner of Rukun Warga (RW) leaders whose areas border the project. ‘(The suit) is on behalf of RW, representing residents. RW 12 and RW 17 of Perumahan Daan Mogot Kalideres, and RW 12 and RW 17 of Kelurahan Pegadungan (Citra Garden 2),’ he added. Budiman said they have received a summons for the first hearing, which is on Wednesday (11/3) at PTUN Jakarta. Through legal channels, residents hope the panel of judges will objectively identify irregularities in the permitting and permanently cancel the crematorium project. ‘We hope justice will prevail and the demands to prove the permit grant is wrong and the construction must be halted can be met,’ he said.