City won't remove Luar Batang Mosque: Ahok

JAKARTA. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has denied accusations the city plans to remove the historic Luar Batang Mosque and a sacred tomb in North Jakarta, saying that the administration would only evict illegal settlers from the nearby riverbanks.

Previously, former justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the city administration warned the residents around the historic mosque and tomb that they would be relocated, without compensation.

"We don't want to clear the Luar Batang village, but only install sheet piles along the river in the area. If Yusril said that I want to clear such areas, it is slander," Ahok told the journalist on Tuesday in Jakarta.

The administration, he continued, would only relocate illegal houses built near the river and sea. He underlined that no historic buildings would be demolished, especially the Luar Batang Mosque, which has a legal permit.

According to Ahok, the sheet piling will be installed in April and the mosque and the surrounding area would be beautified to become a cultural tourism site. "The mosque will look impressive. If you observe it from the Sunda Kelapa Harbor, you will be able to see it directly," he said.

He added that although he had not visited the mosque, he ordered the administration to repair the roads to it, put up some lamps and repaint the historic building, which dates back to about the year 1700.

"We have installed nice lamps in the tower and opened the veranda, so it looks beautiful at night. I want to make it fascinating if people look at it from the sea," Ahok said. (Callistasia Anggun Wijaya)