UIII Wants To Be Inaugurated By Jokowi In 2022 But Is Constrained By Land Problems, KSP Moeldoko Intervenes

JAKARTA - The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) will oversee and resolve a number of obstacles that hinder the operation of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII) so that the campus can be inaugurated by President Joko Widodo in 2022.

Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko in a coordination meeting stated that some of UIII's operational obstacles included study program licensing, block grant budget mechanisms or grants as Legal Entity State Universities (PTN BH), procurement of furniture in each building.

Then the disparity of views from various parties, the land acquisition process which is constrained by a Decree (SK) from the West Java Regional Secretary, to security from the police.

“KSP oversees and conducts intensive debottlenecking of the National Strategic Project (PSN) in the education sector. If KSP didn't step in, it probably wouldn't be what it is now. So that in this meeting, let's pay attention to all things that become complaints and obstacles, we record them and realize them for 2022," said Moeldoko in a coordination meeting with relevant ministries/agencies at the Bina Graha Building, as stated in a written statement by KSP, Antara, Wednesday, December 15th.

Moeldoko added that KSP with the Ministry of Religion, and the UIII Chancellor hopes that the campus can be inaugurated directly by President Jokowi in 2022.

President Jokowi has signed Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 57/2016 concerning the establishment of the International Islamic University of Indonesia (UIII) on 29 June 2016. This project is valued at Rp. 3.9 trillion and stands on 142.5 hectares of land.

The UIII campus consists of seven faculties, namely Islamic Studies, Social Humanities, Islamic Economics, Science and Technology, Education, Architecture and the Arts. UIII is expected to be the future campus for the study and research of Islamic civilization in Indonesia, as the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.

Currently, lectures at the UIII campus have started online with 98 students receiving full scholarships out of a total of 1009 students who applied for scholarships.

As many as 34 percent of the total students are foreign students from 59 countries.

The construction of the main building which includes the mosque, rectorate and library has been completed. In addition, the internet network infrastructure, student dormitories, lecturer houses, and faculty A building have also been completed.

One of the main obstacles in the operation of UIII, according to KSP, is the area that is in direct contact with the verponding land or individual ownership of land resulting from land law during the Dutch colonial era. Then there are also land constraints that have not been recorded, and land that has not met the requirements with a total area of 26.82 hectares.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is committed to resolving the issue of land acquisition for the UIII campus which is located in Cisalak Village, Sukmajaya District, Depok City.

"Until now, the land that is not in dispute is 75.73 hectares. Land acquisition has been carried out for 11.09 hectares. Meanwhile, around 16.48 hectares are in the process of being acquired, and the remaining 12.4 hectares of land will be acquired in 2022," said Director General of Human Settlements, Ministry of PUPR Diana Kusumastuti.