Naive to think that money can't buy anything in Bali

[BaliLife]

8)

I don't know how many times on this forum I've been on the receiving end of a whammy because of my stating one simple fact:

...you can buy anything in bali - laws mean nothing...

people have said that they take offense to my insinuations that corruption is so blatant and so easy..

well take a look at one development on Kl. Uluwatu, just past the GWK turnoff - it powers along at a fast pace (already 2 floors up) - unprotested.. i just received the extensive building plans for this rather revolting looking development from some friends who are thinking of buying there.. the building is 7 - that's right 7 stories high on the east side and 5 stories high on the west. It will rise approximately 30 meters above the highest point (which is street level) - roughly twice that of the permitted height in bali - but hey, what's a law or rule in bali? just something to throw some money at :)

Panorama Hill
http://www.expatriates.com/cls/2609392.html

These are just scattered renderings, but I have the A3 blueprints for anyone interested.

cheers,

ct

[jorgen]

well, if you have money you can buy anything all over the world, not just in bali

[froggy]

It will cost them 20x that amount not to have it torn down in the future! :lol: someone is not doing their homework...

[tintin]

You can laugh about it, but not to throw gasoline on the fire, this is just another blatant example. And saying that it happens all over in the world, jorgen, is just a cop out. :evil:

[Roy]

I do not know the facts about this particular project, but there is a plausible explanation, and that would be with the height of each of the levels in the project. In looking at the plans, it seems to me that the ceiling are quite low...so squeezing in one or two additional levels may well be possible while still complying with the coconut tree rule...i.e. maximum height.

The approval of building plans is at the regency level, and without question there is great disparity in what one regency will allow, and another not allow.

However, in my mind, that does not justify a comment like,

“...you can buy anything in bali - laws mean nothing...”

[BaliLife]

roy, i'd like to see how you're calculation works... the rule is, in furtherance to bali's ambiguous reference of a coconut tree, that from the highest point on a property (i.e. of the land) no erected structure shall exceed 15 meters. that includes the pitch of the roof... nothing is more clear than this being a breach, but lets face it, like i've always attested, it's not hard to pay off the banjar, the regency, the kepala desa (he's probably a stakeholder).. they'd all sell their souls for big mac and fries.. this is just an example where they already have.. let's face it, the bribes aren't high, and how do they use the money? the dink who gets it runs off and takes another wife..

ct

[Roy]

I believe the current height restriction in the regencies down south is currently at 20 meters...not 15, but I am not entirely certain of that.

Last November and December there was a big move on to increase this restriction in order to economize on land development. I don’t know the current status of that move to change the regulations.

Where does it say this project is going to be 30 meters in height? I don’t find that in the link you provided. That would mean this building would be about 100 feet high, which in the drawings doesn’t look that way to me.

[drbruce]

Bali Life,

Generally, I prefer not to get involved in nastiness on this (or any forum), but I don't for the life of me see where comments like this serve any purpose other than to just make dubious generalizations.

but lets face it, like i've always attested, it's not hard to pay off the banjar, the regency, the kepala desa (he's probably a stakeholder).. they'd all sell their souls for big mac and fries.. this is just an example where they already have.. let's face it, the bribes aren't high, and how do they use the money? the dink who gets it runs off and takes another wife..

ct

I know some guys who are on the take and I know some guys who aren't.when I hung out with cops in Chicago it was the same deal. Dealing with corruption is a long process, I like to think that some progress is being made in Indonesia - it certainly appears that way to me just from my experience. If you want to slander a group of people, you might be bold enough to put your name and face behind your words.

[BaliLife]

roy, i have not heard about any increase to 20m; such may be the case, but as recently as last week I was told again by suppliers of building material that it is 15m..

drBruce, i am not generalizing about indonesians or balinese; i am generalizing about the indonesian and balinese systems and YES, I am generalizing about the people in positions of power in indonesia and bali (banjars, regencies, villages, wherever) - i stand by it, they can generally all be bought.. yes i agree there are some extremely slow changes taking place in indonesia - by 2500, they might have had an effect.. most of the changes are "surface" changes being made to silence critics..

Jergen, as for the comment, "if you have money you can buy anything all over the world" - yeh good one.. try go and bribe an official in singapore to get a park rezoned for a private development.. i guess they don't do that in indonesia any more - all the parks have already been given to developers...

I was just told this morning that some locals are planning a protest on the sight.. it will be interesting to see hat reaction it is given..

ct

[Kadek]

hmm this issue just kept coming to the surface.

I am wondering :?

In this case, who are the worst offenders? :?:

Is it the people who can't deny the temptation of free and quick money?
Or the devils who tempt without a shame?

I mean both parties involved are inherently selfish and want to break the law for their own advancement and self interests. :!:

Anyway, better go and study now.