MALL MANAGEMENT CLAIMED TO HAVE BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

Some mall management in Jakarta claimed they had contributed the maximum to Jakarta city construction and denied accusation of being the cause of traffic jam and flood in the mall environment. Meanwhile some citizens expressed their grievances that it was not only flood that troubled them but also neglected public utilities. Among them was the trottoar of S Parman avenue just across the Taman Anggrek Mall. Meanwhlie some citizens complained about stagnated water even though when it was only drizzling at Tanjung Duren street where the Central Park Mall was located. Very S. Setiady, Executive Director of CPM on the contrary claimed that the management had facilitated broader public utilities. “PT Agung Podomoro Land always manage infra structure around our mall location. For example the S. Parman street which was widened first, we built public facilities around it like bus stands, dustbins etc. The ex Bank Dewa Rutji location would be the site for the Learning Center building, and Jakarta icon at the same time” Veri disclosed to Business News sometime ago.

Not just CPM in West Jakarta, the Malls in Northern Jakarta such as the Pluit Emporium was of no difference. Podomoro as a reputable and branded developer claimed to be able to free locations from the annoying flood routines around the locations. “In the past, just before the ex-Bimoli frying oil factory, the place was always trapped in mud, but we designed and planned space and expanded the drainagesewers very mall development by Podomoro was always accompanied by infra structure building” Veri remarked.

Veri also elaborated that mall development at Seasons Mall at Jalan Dr Latumeten had been protected by river dams which dams which separated Jembatan Besi street and Dr Semeru street. The dam consisted of two passages connecting Kyai tapa street Grogol and Jembatan Besi/Latumeten. “So we are still committed to building infra-structure.” Veri remarked.

Meanwhile some communities around the CPM location were feeling the negative impact of mall development. Beside traffic jam, the open spaces which used to absorp rainfall, were now covered with concrete floors and walls of apartment buildings, malls, hotels and offices. “As far as I am concerned, having lived in Tanjung Duren before the Central Park were built there was never any flood. But now even a little drizzle can create stagnated water up the heels or even higher when it rains” Suparman, a citizen who lived near Tanjung Duren real estates.

In the past the Jakarta Mega Integrated Complex covered an area of 22 hectares and occupied by people who had no Jakarta ID card (KTP), they were jobless people or those having no steady job, or even roamers. But on the contrary Podomoro Estate claimed that the accommodated ex occupants of land as security guards, parking regulators, office boys etc. “Infra structure building and Corporate Social Responsibility are our commitment” Very remarked in response to people’s complaints.

During inauguration of the Central Park Mall on September 9, 2009 (09-09-09) the Management’s marketing strategy aimed target at the upper-middle group. As footnote, CPM had won several awards in terms of architecture and function and utility of building. The award-winning shopping centers had won various awards like Highly Commended Retail Development and Mixed-used Development and five-star awards for the categories of Public Service for Asia Pacific level as part of the Asia Property Awards 2012. Furthermore there were the Highly Commended Retail Development in Asia Pacific and the Best Retail Development in Indonesia by the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2011 and has been shortlisted for a World Architecture Festival Award in the shopping (including mixed use) and shopping Center (large) category.

In response to the above, a culture activist and famous moviestar Christin Hakim, told Business News that she saw no urgency in rallying to build malls, because city planning was not always identical with physical development, like luxurious malls or sky scrapers Instead, city management with emphasis of cleanliness, orderliness and free of crime was the essence of city building. “A head of state of a small country like Timor Leste personally took part in city management activities in the capital city. Such were the things that reflected success in capital city management,” Christime Hakim concluded.   

Business News - July 25, 2012