The Owner Of A Wild Building On Mount Antang Considers The Dismantling Of Paksa A Ordinary Thing

Drinking bottles scattered when officers carry out demolition/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio/ VOI

JAKARTA - The localization area of prostitution and gambling on Mount Antang was apparently demolished by joint officers in 2010. However, after being dismantled by officers, the illegal buildings in the area returned to mushrooming because they escaped the supervision of relevant officers including PT KAI.

One of the cafe owners in the Gunung Antang area with the initials PK said that he responded to the usual things related to the demolition of the joint officers against his building.

"There was an appeal from PT KAI, normally. It was ready (to be dismantled). In the past around 2010 it was last dismantled and this is only (in 2022)," said the man with the initials PK to VOI at the location of the demolition of Mount Antang, Tuesday, August 30.

Regarding the demolition carried out by joint officers, PK as the owner of one of the places of business explained that he did not object to the relevant officers. PK is actually aware that the land area belongs to the government.

"There is no objection, it's normal. I trade from 2000 here," he said.

To be able to have a place of business in the Gunung Antang localization area, PK said that he had bought a building at a price of Rp. 15 million from a building owner or cafe that first occupied it.

"Just build it. For example, buy someone's building, not buy land. Buy a building, I'll buy Rp. 15 million first around 2006-2007," he said.

In his daily life, PK often sells coffee and alcoholic beverages at his shop or cafe.

"There is a cafe, (but) a cafe of origin. Music exists," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Welfare Section of Palmeriam Village, Herdayanti, stated that residents in the Mount Antang area were not natives of Palmeriam Village.

"Actually, the residents here are not residents, so all of them are immigrants on average. In this area, it is related to illegal economic activities. (The residents of Mount Antang) are not registered (in Palmeriam Village)," he told VOI.

Herdayanti explained that the residents who inhabited the Gunung Antang localization were illegal residents because they were not natives.

"Illegal occupants are not residents. This is not their land. Actually they don't live here, they have a place to live in other areas. Yes, (they do) illegal business," he explained.