The Commotion Of Muara Karang RTH Becomes A Culinary Center

Green Open Space Illustration (Instagram @pemprovDKI)

JAKARTA - A plot of land from green open space (RTH) in the Muara Karang area, Pluit, North Jakarta will be used as a culinary center by the DKI Provincial Government. The permit to provide a building (IMB) has been issued.

Now, the area that has been leveled with land has begun to be rebuilt. Apart from the construction of a culinary center, the land will also provide sports facilities such as a jogging track and a parking lot.

The plan to build a culinary center in Muara Karang was strongly protested by the PDIP faction of the DKI DPRD. PDIP faction member Ima Mahdiah emphasized that the RTH area should not be designated as a business space.

The reason is, in the DKI Jakarta Provincial Regulation Number 1 of 2012 concerning Regional Spatial Planning 2030 Article 239, it states that anyone is prohibited from using space without a space utilization permit in a location that is not in accordance with its designation.

"We want the land to be like before, namely RTH. If for example (RTH) is improved, it is still okay. But this is for business. As if there is no other place that can be built," said Ima at the DPRD DKI Building, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, February 5.

The head of the PDIP Faction, Gembong Warsono, said that this land used to be an illegal settlement. Until finally the former Governor of DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) relocated the activities of residents there and designated the land as an open green area.

However, the restoration of green open space was neglected due to the change of leadership in DKI by the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan. In mid-2018, the One Stop Integrated Services and Investment Agency (PMPTSP) issued a building construction permit (IMB) to PT Jakarta Propertindo.

Jakpro then gave management responsibility to its subsidiary, PT Jakarta Utilities Propertindo (JUP). JUP then handed over the development and management of the culinary area to the private sector as a third party with a 20-year contract.

"It is contracted to a third party. The distribution of the proceeds is 85 percent and 15 percent for JUP, including the parking proceeds. Very little (profit from the DKI Provincial Government). I also want to be a third party then," said Gembong.

"What amazes me is that in the green lane, an IMB can be issued. In fact, the IMB has a study," he continued.

DKI claims and rebuttals

Head of the Department of Asset and Property Management of PT JUP, Hafidh Fathoni, feels that his party has not violated the rules regarding converting RTH Muara Karang into a culinary center.

Hafidh said, of the total area of 2.3 hectares of green open space, only 11 percent will be worked on into a commercial area. With the permits that have been pocketed, he is sure that he will be allowed to work on the green open space to become a culinary center.

Moreover, said Hafidh, the kiosks that were built were semi-permanent. "The building is semi-permanent, maybe the building looks like a container. We are guided by the existing permits. By law, we will try to ask the legal department," said Hafidh.

Continuing, the Corporate Secretary of PT JUP Andika Silvananda said that he would place 60 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by the DKI Provincial Government in the culinary area.

Then, Andika claimed that he would not set the rental price for these MSMEs. In exchange, there will be a daily fee that must be paid by the small traders who get the lapak.

"For UMKM, it is provided free of charge," said Andika. "Currently, our process is ongoing. We are coordinating the best steps so that the development process can run well."

However, Ima Mahdiah, a member of the PDIP faction in the DKI DPRD denied this. Ima said, some of the RTH areas that will be transformed into culinary centers have started to be marketed. This he discovered during a direct visit to the location some time ago.

"There is already a gallery catalog and it is starting to be sold. One meter is sold for Rp. 60 million. How much land in Jakarta is there if you want to rent it, but why is it that there is a green space to reduce flooding. If there are many buildings, it will definitely close the waterways," said Ima. .