T

he city administration officiated the opening on Friday of three blocks of low-cost apartments in Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, to accommodate squatters who had been relocated from the embankments of Mookervart and Sekretaris rivers, both in the municipality.

West Jakarta Mayor Anas Effendi said during the ceremony that 42 families would move in for the first phase.

'€œThe relocation of squatters occupying the riverbanks will be conducted in four phases,'€ he said, as quoted by kompas.com.

He explained that the riverbanks would be used for inspection roads.

'€œAs well as supporting the flood mitigation program, the roads will be used to help ease traffic congestion on Jl. Daan Mogot.'€

The Jakarta Housing and Administrative Buildings Agency'€™s technical unit head for low-cost apartments in West Jakarta, HU Zainuddin, said the monthly rent would be set at between Rp 300,000 (US$24) and Rp 400,000.

'€œHowever, tenants do not have to pay the rent for the first six months.'€

The complex has six apartment blocks, each with six floors of 16 34-square-meter apartments.

Each unit has two bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and terrace. Electricity and tap water are supplied. Workers are now finishing the front yard.

'€œIncluded in the rent, tenants get clean water, security, sanitation and 900 kWh electricity,'€ he said, adding that tenants would not necessarily pay the power and tap water bills.

The relocated squatters must register with the subdistrict and district offices and get a reference letter to confirm their eligibility to a low-cost apartment.

The city administration is intensifying construction of several other blocks in the municipality to relocate thousands of squatters living on riverbanks and state land in the city.

City authorities have been determined to administer a better registration procedure to prevent tenants from subletting their apartments and to prevent housing and government officials from selling the apartments to ineligible tenants, as happened in East Jakarta.

In a related development, Cilincing Police Precinct in North Jakarta recently nabbed 34-year-old Rio Jambormias, who allegedly scammed 200 prospective tenants of the Marunda low-cost apartments in Cilincing. The police said that Rio would be indicted for deceiving apartment seekers and abusing his power in his attempt to enrich himself.

Cilincing Police Precinct chief Comr. Edi Purnawan said Rio had pledged cheap apartments for a payment of Rp 1 to Rp 3 million.

'€œHowever, despite the down payment, the victims did not receive an apartment,'€ he said, as quoted by tempo.co on Thursday.

Edi said when the victims asked for confirmation from the apartment'€™s management, the apartments were fully occupied.

Deputy governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama said all eligible tenants were required to ensure their identity cards noted their domicile at the apartments to prevent them from subletting to other residents. He has also asked the police to arrest city administration officers involved in apartment sales to ineligible tenants.

'€” JP/Corry Elyda