PRIME NEWS POST
The INDONESIAN (Medan) — A coalition of activists, community organisations, NGOs, and media practitioners under the Aliansi Masyarakat Tolak (AMTOL) MBG has called on the Medan City Government, through the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), to immediately inspect and take firm action against a building located at Jalan Puskesmas 1, Gang Jambu, Sunggal Subdistrict, Medan Sunggal District. The structure is alleged to have undergone a change of function and use without the required Building Permit (PBG) as mandated by prevailing regulations.
AMTOL MBG argues that if the building was originally a residential house and has been converted into a facility or Nutrition Service Unit (SPPG) for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme kitchen, authorities must first verify the building’s legal status, spatial planning compliance, change of function, and other technical requirements.
AMTOL MBG spokesperson Johan Merdeka, accompanied by Rahmadsyah, Jefri Manik, and Iqbal Alfansyuri, stated that the group urges Satpol PP Medan — the regional agency tasked with enforcing Regional Regulations (Perda) and Mayoral Regulations (Perwal) — to not allow alleged violations to proceed without investigation.
“We call on Satpol PP Medan to conduct a direct inspection of the building. If it is proven to lack a PBG or its use does not conform to spatial planning and licensing rules, administrative sanctions must be imposed accordingly. Enforcement of Perda and Perwal must be objective and free from selective enforcement,” Johan said.
According to Johan, the issue extends beyond the physical structure itself, touching on legal certainty, spatial order, building safety, and compliance with regional licensing requirements.
“If a residential property is indeed being converted into a business premise or service facility, it must first be verified whether the change meets all mandatory requirements. A well-intentioned programme should not, in its implementation, disregard building legality and spatial planning,” he emphasised.
AMTOL MBG also requested Satpol PP, together with relevant regional agencies — including licensing, spatial planning, and building authorities — to conduct a comprehensive field verification of the building’s status at Jalan Puskesmas 1 Gang Jambu.
If administrative violations are found, AMTOL calls on the Medan City Government to take enforcement measures in accordance with applicable legal mechanisms, including activity suspension or sealing, if the necessary grounds and procedures are met.
“Operations should not be allowed to proceed if administrative and spatial requirements have not been fulfilled. But everything must be based on an official inspection. If violations are confirmed, we urge firm action in accordance with the rules,” Johan said.
Call on Sunggal Subdistrict Head to Act
Beyond urging Satpol PP, AMTOL MBG also called on the Lurah (Subdistrict Head) of Sunggal to issue advisories and coordinate with the building’s owner or manager to ensure all construction and change-of-function activities comply with laws and regulations.
AMTOL further reminded that compliance with building licensing is tied to regional administrative order and potential Local Own-Source Revenue (PAD). As such, all construction and building utilisation activities must follow procedures established by the regional government.
“The Medan City Government should not view this issue solely from the physical building perspective. All legal aspects must be examined. If there are administrative obligations or fees to be met, they must be fulfilled transparently and in accordance with the rules,” Johan stated.
Change of Building Function Requires Verification
According to gathered information, a Building Permit (PBG) governs construction, alteration, and utilisation of buildings in accordance with their function and applicable technical standards. Therefore, modifications to residential buildings must be inspected if they relate to function, floor area, structure, or building safety aspects.
Conditions requiring attention include:
– Change of building function — e.g., residential converted to business or service use;
– Change of building size — such as storey additions or expansions;
– Structural and technical changes affecting the building’s core construction;
– Significant changes to the building’s facade or appearance, and other modifications impacting function and technical requirements.
On this basis, AMTOL MBG clarified that the coalition has no intention of obstructing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme. On the contrary, AMTOL demands that all facilities supporting the programme meet legal, safety, health, spatial planning, and licensing standards.
“We support good government programmes. But support for MBG does not mean rules can be ignored. Precisely because this programme serves broad public interests, all supporting facilities must be orderly, legal, safe, and meet government-set standards,” Johan concluded.
AMTOL MBG further called on the Medan City Government to conduct an open and professional inspection of the building. If violations are confirmed, AMTOL urges enforcement of sanctions in accordance with regulations; however, if all requirements have been met, the inspection results should also be communicated transparently to the public.
Reported from various media sources //photo from Google documents // contribution by Prime News Post international online media // news.paper
