Ahmad Yunus, Bandung – It is indeed appropriate for Bandung to be called a sea of factory outlets. But, did you know that some of the buildings that have magically become factory outlets are actually official military residences? That is what has happened in the city of blossoms.

In addition to this, many official residences have become places for other business such as shops, showrooms and boarding residences. As many as 82 official military residences have been transformed into places of business by officers and civilians from the Siliwangi Regional Military Command III (Kodam).

“We have appealed [to them] again so that they aren’t turned into places of business. The regulations already exist. They are pretending they don’t know. I am very sad”, said Kodam commander Major General Sriyanto during a break in the commemoration of the TNI’s (Indonesian military) 60th anniversary at Gasibu Square on Jalan Diponegoro in Bandung on Wednesday October 5.

Sriyanto said that at the moment sanctions have been prepared to be used against officers and civilians who are proven to have violated the regulations on official residences including the possibility of withdrawing or failing extending permission to live in the official residence.

“At present the funds to fix this don’t exist. Yeah, [so] now we are going to reexamine the permits which we issue each year”, he said while smiling.

Official military residences that have become places of business have spread from Bandung as far as the West Java city of Cimahi. (asy)

[Translated by James Balowski.]