CHAIRPERSON of the Community Care Association for Meikarta Consumers (PKPKM) Yosafat Erland said the association will sue the management of PT Lippo Group and PT Mahkota Sentosa Utama for failing to refund the purchase of Meikarta apartments amounting to Rp 4.5 billion. Previously, Lippo Group promised to make the refund no later than July 27, 2025.
Yosafat said Lippo Group representatives also skipped a scheduled meeting at the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. The meeting had been agreed upon by Lippo Group. "They neglected to fulfill the agreement. We will take legal action for breach of contract," said Yosafat when met at the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing area, Jakarta, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
On March 27, 2025, PKPKM had reached an agreement with the Director of PT Lippo Cikarang Danang Kemayan Jati to resolve the issue. In the meeting minutes to address their complaints, Danang promised to return the funds within four months, by August 2025, without any deductions, to 26 PKPKM members.
Yosafat stated that the association will also file a complaint to the People's Consultative Assembly in order to expedite the resolution of this matter. "We will also go to the People's Consultative Assembly," he said.
On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, PKMK had also lodged a complaint with the Community Aspiration Body of the People's Consultative Assembly. At that time, PKMK members recounted their disappointment due to the stalled Meikarta apartment project.
PKMK member Rumondang Yunita Sinaga shared how she had to abandon her dream eight years ago. In 2017, the 60-year-old woman and her husband had planned to retire by investing in the housing sector, by renting out two Meikarta apartments they had purchased.
However, her dreams were shattered as the apartments in the Cikarang area of West Java have yet to materialize. "It turns out the project has been stalled for eight years," said the woman from Cinere, West Java, to members of the Community Aspiration Body of the People's Consultative Assembly in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Rumondang explained that she had purchased two apartments with a 24-month installment payment method. However, she had only made 8 payments totaling around Rp 400 million. She deliberately stopped making payments upon seeing that the Meikarta project was not progressing. "Because it's no longer good, I stopped," she said.
As a result, she can only wait for the remaining installment refund from the Meikarta management. One unit has been paid off, while the management has not fully settled the payment for the other unit. As of April 23, the Meikarta management had only paid Rp 277 million, still short by about Rp 6 million. "We are still following up," she said.
On April 10, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing had facilitated a meeting between Meikarta apartment consumers and the developer. During the meeting, the consumers requested compensation or a refund of the money they had paid.
Maruarar Sirait Met with Lippo Group Boss to Discuss Meikarta
Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Maruarar Sirait had met with Lippo Group boss James Riady to discuss the resolution of the Meikarta issue. The meeting took place on Wednesday evening, April 23, 2025, at the PUPR Ministry office in Central Jakarta. Aside from inviting Lippo's boss, Maruarar, or Ara, also invited dozens of Meikarta consumers to the forum.
Prior to the meeting with Lippo's boss, Ara had conveyed the Meikarta issue to President Prabowo Subianto. The President had advised that the Meikarta issue be resolved in accordance with legal principles and justice.
From March 26 to April 23, 2025, the Ministry received complaints from 118 Meikarta consumers. 88 consumers requested a refund, 4 requested a refund or unit handover, 2 requested a unit handover, 1 filed a complaint about the IPL, and 23 other consumers were still in the confirmation stage as they did not specify their desires in the complaint.
Based on tentative data collected by the PUPR Ministry as the operator of the BENAR-PKP complaint service, a total of Rp 26,855,558,439 or approximately Rp 26.9 billion had been paid by 102 consumers for apartment purchases.
Meanwhile, Lippo Group CEO James Riady ensured that the Meikarta developer would resolve the issue with the consumers. He even promised that the refund to consumers would be realized sooner than the deadline set by Ara. The reason being, he did not want this issue to drag on. "Sooner is better," said James. According to him, consumers who had placed their trust in Meikarta should be valued. "I believe, Meikarta should follow the Minister's direction," he said.
James also claimed that the Meikarta developer had built 16,000 units and was ready for handover. According to him, Meikarta has good intentions. However, in recent years, the developer has faced several challenges in building the apartments. "Building a new city is not easy. There are a thousand and one problems," said James.
However, he assured that the developer would take responsibility. "If Meikarta has undertaken something big, I believe issues like this will also be resolved. I am confident," said James.
Editor's Choice: Frustrated Meikarta Consumers Call for Refunds Amid Ongoing Uncertainty
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
