“In Jakarta more than half of the buildings have been constructed without IMB [construction permits]. However, we don’t tear down all of those buildings as there is a regulation which requires fines for buildings that are constructed without an IMB,” Ahok said on Wednesday.

Instead, the administration would collect fines from the developers, who had constructed the properties without construction permits, said the governor.

Responding to the statement that he was being discriminatory when it comes to enforcing the law as his administration frequently evicts residents living in illegally constructed slums, Ahok said that the buildings constructed on the reclaimed islets were different from those constructed on state land or green areas.

On Wednesday, Ahok accompanied Fisheries and  Maritime Affairs Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli and Forestry and Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya, on a visit to a reclaimed islet constructed by KNI.

The developers have constructed buildings on the islet without a legal basis as the City Council has stopped deliberating two reclamation bills, following the arrest of a city councilor for alleged bribery in relation to the project.

However, Ahok believed that the buildings had been constructed based on proper spatial consideration, therefore there was no need to demolish the buildings.

The only problem with the reclamation process, according to Ahok, is incomplete Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal) documents that have not included crucial environmental considerations such as the provision of clean water, impact on undersea cables and pipes as well as sedimentation in surrounding areas.

During a press conference on Wednesday, KNI called on the city administration to immediately issue construction permits for the buildings on islet D. KNI applied for the IMB two years ago, however, the administration has not issued the permit.

The company which was represented by director Nono Sampono, also hoped that the administration could immediately put out urban design guidelines as a basis to issue the permit.

Minister Siti Nurbaya stressed that issuing an IMB for buildings on the reclaimed islet was unlikely due to a reclamation moratorium agreed in April. She said that the developer had to stop any activities on the islet.

Siti said her ministry would issue a decree as a guideline for the developer to improve the condition of the environment, including the construction of a canal as stated in the reclamation permit, particularly because the developer had unified islets C and D into one islet, which was certainly a violation of the reclamation procedure.

”After the ministry issues the decree concerning the reclamation implementation, developers should follow the directions,” the minister said.

"All islets in Jakarta Bay should be constructed according to the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development Plan by the National Development and Planning Agency,” Siti added. (bbn)