TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Acting head of Jakarta Public Housing and Settlement Areas Sarjoko denied the saying that the Kampung Akuarium construction program in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, violated the regulations.

He clarified that the residential development was permitted under Regional Regulation (Perda) No.1 of 2014 concerning spatial planning and zoning. According to Sarjoko, the village is located in the sub-zone of the regional administration or coded as P3.

“It is allowed for development projects of vertical villages organized by the government,” he said on Wednesday, August 19, adding that a detailed explanation regarding the legality of the village, could be asked to the Jakarta Cipta Karya, Spatial Planning, and Land Agency.

The Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) PDIP faction head, Gembong Warsono, slammed the construction project of the village, adding that Governor Anies Baswedan had violated Perda 1/2014.

The regulation stipulated that the village was located in the red zone area that meant the land must be used for governmental affairs, rather than residential areas. “A village administration office is permissible to be built there. But not for flat, it is prohibited,” he said.

Back when Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or known as Ahok led the capital city, he evicted residents of Kampung Akuarium in 2016 given the illegal areas and planned to build a seawall.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA