DENPASAR ~ Minister of State for Housing Yusuf Asyari has urged the Bali government to pass a law that would permit construction of high-rise buildings.

Asyari said that 10 cities have applied such legislation, Jakarta, Malang, Batam, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Palembang, Makassar, Banjarmasin and Medan.

High-rise buildings are banned in Bali due to Regional Law No. 4/2005, which limits the height of buildings to 15 meters or the height of a coconut tree.

“I don’t know what is exactly written in the regulations. What coconut tree is used as standard measurement?” said Asyari.

“The only way to cope with the limited land available in Bali is to permit high-rise buildings. Hopefully the Bali government will pass a new law that permits tall buildings,” he said.