"I have made repeated requests to purchase the land as the Jakarta Landscape Department has the funds to buy it. The British government has requested us to buy the land for various reasons," Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama stated at the Jakarta city hall, Thursday.
Governor Basuki is also targeting to purchase the entire land by the end of May 2016.
The landscape department still has surplus funds from last years operational budget.
"The former British Embassys land and building are valued at Rp500 billion," noted Basuki.
According to the city plan, the land where the British Embassy earlier stood is being purchased to create an open green space.
The British government has sent a letter to President Joko Widodo to sell the land to the city government, Basuki noted.
The British Embassy to Indonesia was earlier headquartered on the capitals main road Jl. MH Thamrin no. 75 and was officially moved to the new location on Jl. Patra Kuningan Raya Blok L5-6 Jakarta 12950 on June 24, 2013. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
