Jakarta City Council Stops Deliberation of Reclamation Bills

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - All nine factions in Jakarta City Council (DPRD) has agreed to stop the deliberation of two regional regulation draft bills on north Jakarta beach. The agreement was made in the house leadership meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 2016 and was conveyed on Tuesday, April 12, 2016.

“I will submit the letter to Mr. Governor to be followed up,” said Jakarta City Council Speaker, Prasetio Edi Marsudi, at City Council Building, Tuesday, April 12, 2016.

According to Prasetio, the suspension was prompted by red-handed operation of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to arrest City Council Commission D Chairman Mohamad Sanusi—now resigned. Sanusi was allegedly receiving bribe from PT Agung Podomoro Land in relation to the deliberation of the regional regulation draft bills.

Along with Sanusi, the KPK has named Agung Podomoro boss Ariesman Widjaja and employee Trinanda Prigartoro as suspects over the bribery case.

Prasetio went on that the City Council will decide to stop the deliberations on the regional draft bills through plenary meeting first. The agenda, said Prasetio, will be deliberated in the next house leadership meeting. “Basically, DPRD members of 2014-2019 [period] from nine factions has decided to stop [the deliberations],” he said.

He added: “We had regulated the beach zoning and spatial plan. Apparently, something came up during deliberations. To avoid negative exposure, we better stop [the deliberations].”

Jakarta City Council Deputy Speaker Abraham Lunggana alias Lulung revealed that the suspension of the deliberations is driven by Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama’s statement the he opted to wait for election of new City Council members of 2019-2024 period. “DPRD eventually held an evaluation meeting on the issue which actually took place last Thursday,” Lulung said.

LARISSA HUDA