Defending People Vulnerable Against Land Mafia, AHY: Don't Let Their Rights Be Stepped On

JAKARTA - Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) will fight the land mafia which has claimed many victims of vulnerable small communities.

"If there are people who are dealing with the land mafia, it is certain that the Ministry of ATR/BPN will side with the people, they will defend the people, lest their rights be trampled on, especially vulnerable people," AHY said in his statement, Sunday, February 25.

AHY conveyed this when he visited the residence of the Vice President (Wapres) Ma'ruf Amin, on Saturday, February 24.

On the same occasion, AHY conveyed the magnitude of the new responsibility as a minister, encouraging him to strengthen collaboration and deepen knowledge about land and spatial planning, including from the point of view of number two people in Indonesia.

"He reminded that there are still many problems faced by people in various regions," he said.

AHY said that the step to solve the problem was the biggest challenge of the Ministry of ATR/BPN.

"How can we be in its entirety, not in a hurry or rash manner, but in its entirety seeing dispute problems including cases caused by the land mafia, which harm the people," he said.

AHY also admitted that he was committed to completing his homework and achieving the previously planned target. This can go well if all relevant parties work together and collaborate.

Furthermore, AHY conveyed that the synergy and collaboration that must be built vertically and horizontally is the key to the work of a successful government.

"I have communicated with other ministries. There are with the Ministry of PUPR, Transportation, Agriculture, so that the Ministry of ATR/BPN can become an important element that can also help with development. We want to synergize, collaborate. This is part of a joint effort to solve problems in the land sector," he said.