FPI Explains The Origin Of Land In Megamendung Questioned By PTPN

JAKARTA - The Grand Imam of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab through his attorney, Aziz Yanuar, said that the land area of 30.91 hectares in Kuta Village, Megamendung, Bogor, West Java was purchased legally. The ownership of this land was disputed by PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) VII.

The land was purchased from farmers who controlled and managed the land physically as well as from previous owners. In fact, the land sale and purchase agreement was copied to regional officials.

"We, with the managers and owners, are also very complete and known to the village apparatus, both the local RT and RW, which later on the letter was copied to the Regent of Bogor Regency and the Governor of West Java, so that our client's legal standing in occupying and exploiting the land is not in a way against the law, "said Aziz in his statement, Sunday, December 27.

Even if we look far back before the purchase, said Aziz, the land was previously abandoned vacant land. Then, the land was physically controlled and managed by many communities for more than 25 years

On that basis, Rizieq Shihab bought the land. Purchases were also made after receiving information that the land belonged to the local community.

"With such a long background of physical control by the community, so that our clients believe that the land is legally owned by the cultivators, so our clients are willing to buy the land from the owners of the land," he explained.

Aziz said that if the land ownership was in the name of PTPN based on the HGU certificate numbered 299 of 2008, it was only known after receiving a subpoena from PTPN on 18 December 2020.

In fact, after being traced the HGU certificate was canceled by the Supreme Court. So that it does not have permanent legal force.

"We just found out about the existence of SHGU (belonging to PTPN) through a letter (subpoena), dated 18 December 2020," he said.

The land has been built by FPI's Argokultural Markaz Syariah Islamic Boarding School. Development has been carried out since 2013.