Jakarta to punish reckless ad firms

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The property management and control agency is set to hand down punishment to two companies for their negligence in constructing two billboards recently felled by strong winds.

Agency head Hari Sasongko said Saturday the agency had determined negligence in the billboards' construction, based on its findings and reports from the companies.

"They have violated a governor decree. We'll freeze their working licenses for a year," he said.

"We're still preparing documents declaring their punishment, which they will know within a month."

On Nov. 14, a billboard fell on a taxi in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, injuring the driver and two passengers, and another fell on top of an internet cafe and telecommunication kiosk in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.

One fallen billboard near the Grand Indonesia traffic circle disrupted traffic.

Hari said the agency was carrying out legal proceedings only against the two companies who built the billboards in Kebayoran Baru and Setiabudi, exempting the one responsible for the fallen billboard near the Grand Indonesia traffic circle.

"The ... billboard near the Grand Indonesia traffic circle is out of our territory," he said.

"A government regulation allows billboard construction companies to place their temporary ads for a few weeks without being required to ask for an agency-issued license," he said.

The agency has issued 700 business licenses for construction companies since 2002, 400 of which were extended.

Construction companies buy licenses from the agency to erect outdoor advertisement structures in Jakarta and sell the space to advertising companies.

Following the November accidents, the agency planned to revise requirements for building billboards.

In the future, a billboard must be able to withstand winds of 75 to 100 kilometers per hour, higher than old requirement of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour.

Hari said the agency would issue a decree for the future benchmark.

"An advisory team that works for the agency to oversee property structures will hopefully finish drafting the decree within a month," he said.

The agency also planned to require construction companies to replace their single-pole billboards with double-pole billboards to make them stronger.

However, Hari said the plan would likely take months of deliberation among the agency and other stakeholders, including the city spatial planning agency and the city revenue agency.

"We need to find a way to strictly implement safety standards, as well as keep the city's revenue from ads from decreasing," he said.

City puts billboard owners on alert

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Billboard owners will face penalties if their billboards are not in compliance with Jakarta safety standards, an official said Friday.

The Jakarta Property Arrangement and Monitoring Agency said it has warned construction companies of possible penalties after a number of billboards toppled in strong winds and rain Wednesday.

Agency head Hari Sasongko said the agency would freeze or revoke construction companies' business licenses should they be found in violation of agency-issued regulations, depending on the level of each breach.

"We may suspend a construction company's business license for one to two years if we determine negligence," he said at City Hall after meeting with Governor Fauzi Bowo and other city officials.

The agency has issued 700 business licenses for construction companies since 2002, 400 of which were extended.

Construction companies buy licenses from the agency to erect outdoor advertisement structures in Jakarta and sell the space to advertising companies.

Hari said the agency might also downgrade the ratings of violating companies if they were found in gross negligence.

The agency, he said, had yet to create a violation classification.

The agency sent a letter to construction companies that have built billboards in the capital, asking they evaluate the condition of each structure, he said.

On Wednesday a billboard fell on a taxi in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, injuring the driver and two passengers, and another fell on top of an internet cafe‚ and telecommunication kiosk in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.

One billboard also fell near the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.

At least 21 trees across Jakarta were also uprooted by the winds.

Hari said damages and losses incurred by fallen billboards would be the responsibility of the respective construction companies.

The agency will "visually examine the condition" of existing billboards Saturday in all five municipalities and will announce the results next Tuesday, Hari said.

"We will determine if the structures are in good condition or if they are not in accordance with regulations," he said.

The agency, he said, might revise requirements for building billboards if it finds the current structures prone to high winds.

Hari said a billboard must be able to withstand winds of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour.

"We may increase the benchmark to between 75 and 100 kilometers per hour," he added.

"We may also require construction companies to replace their single-pole billboards with double-pole billboards."