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Jakarta Post

Kalla scolds officials over housing projects

Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Saturday called for the expedited completion of several affordable housing complexes under construction in the city

Abdul Khalik (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, March 16, 2008

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Kalla scolds officials over housing projects

Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Saturday called for the expedited completion of several affordable housing complexes under construction in the city.

During a tour of a low-cost apartment complex in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Kalla expressed surprise at the lack of progress.

“Where is the official from Kemayoran authority? Why haven’t you signed the MOU for the land transfer?” Kalla asked an official in front of a crowd of journalists, officials and businesspeople.

The official said the document was still in the signing stage.

“You have been talking about (this) for three months,” Kalla said, adding he expected the signing to be complete by Monday.

The vice president then asked Himawan Arief, president director of the state-owned Perumnas responsible for the construction, when the buildings would be completed.

“I thought I would see a half-constructed building when I arrived here, but you haven’t even begun anything,” Kalla said to Himawan, who sat beside State Minister for State Enterprises Sofyan Djalil and State Minister for People’s Housing Muhammad Yusuf Asy’ari.

Himawan said the apartment complexes would be finished early next year.

“All of you are a witness to his words. We will hang him if he doesn’t deliver,” Kalla said.

“If necessary, the governor and minister will come to check the construction every day.”

Kalla then urged Yusuf, the contractors and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, who was also present, to prioritize finishing the construction.

The vice president also called on officials to speed up the completion of housing projects in Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta, Rawasari in East Jakarta and Cengkareng in West Jakarta.

The apartments are part of the central government’s target to build 100 complexes of affordable apartments for low-income families in 16 locations in Jakarta by 2009, and 1,000 complexes by 2011.

The apartments are intended for families with incomes of Rp 1.2 million to Rp 4.5 million a month. A 21-square-meter one bedroom apartment will cost Rp 75 million while a 36-square-meter two bedroom unit will be 144 million.     

A family can pay in installments through state-owned bank BTN for five, 10 or 15 years.

The apartments are expected to provide homes to half a million people living legally and illegally in slum areas in Jakarta, as well as meet the needs of 70,000 new families in the city each year, Fauzi said.

Kalla said there was no reason for the delay of low-cost apartment projects as the government had the money, people and the regulations to finish the projects.

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