Golden Visa Holders Can Get Land Rights, Mardani: Land Obrals But The People Of Ecer Cigarettes Are Prohibited

JAKARTA - Member of Commission II of the House of Representatives, Mardani Ali Sera, criticized the government's recently inaugurated visa golden to attract large foreign investors. Later, foreigners can have several privileges if they invest in Indonesia, including land/land rights.

The right to business (HGU) in the capital city of the archipelago (IKN) has been sale for up to 190 years. That's 7 derivatives, it's still longer. Now the government is selling land again to attract foreign investment," said Mardani, Friday, August 2.

As is known, President Jokowi (Jokowi) has just launched the Golden Visa program which is a privilege for foreign nationals in the form of limited stay visas for a certain period of time if they are willing to invest in Indonesia.

To support the program, the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) stated that his party will recruit the gold visa holder to get land rights in Indonesia.

The land rights in question include ownership of the Flats Unit, Cultivation Rights (HGU), and other land rights in accordance with Government Regulation (PP) Number 18 of 2021.

The provision of guarantees to Golden Visa holders is said to aim to encourage the national investment climate to continue to grow. Mardani said the policy to attract foreign conglomerates to establish companies or invest in the country has the potential to create gaps and agrarian conflicts.

"The government continues to carry out massive sale to attract investors, the state land is sale-obligal but ignores the needs of its people," said the legislator from the DKI Jakarta I electoral district.

Mardani himself previously criticized the Government for granting permits to investors to obtain Cultivation Rights (HGU) at IKN up to 190 years for two cycles. Because of this, he mentioned IKN for sale.

The provision of HGU up to 190 years for two cycles for investors is marked by the issuance of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 75 of 2024 concerning the Acceleration of Development of the Archipelago Capital City (IKN) signed by President Jokowi.

In more detail, the regulation allows the period of time for HGU to be given to the private sector for up to 95 years in the first cycle. Extensions for the second cycle are also given for a period of 95 years. Thus, the HGU that can be given to investors in IKN can reach 190 years.

"If the policies issued by the Government continue, we will be colonized in the name of economic growth," said Mardani.

According to him, the various incentives to investors offered by the Government have recently not been based on the interests of the small people. In the HGU policy at IKN, Mardani assessed that the government did not think about local residents or indigenous peoples in Kalimantan as the location of IKN.

"The land sale policy is only pro-investors, but ignores the fate of the people, especially the local community," he said.

Mardani added that the government prioritizes ways to persuade investors rather than fix people's welfare. He then gave an example of the Government's new policy of banning cigarettes from being sold in retail or centrality.

The policy, which is the mandate of Presidential Regulation (PP) Number 28 of 2024 concerning health, has been heavily criticized for its potential to kill the micro industry, such as hawkers and small stalls.

"The state of selling the Kulakan land is allowed to be allowed and it is legal, people only sell retail cigarettes, it is prohibited," said Mardani.

Regarding the gold visa holder who allows foreigners to get land rights in Indonesia, Commission II of the DPR in charge of land affairs and agrarian reforms asks the Government to provide an explanation. Mardani stated that the government must guarantee that the policy will not cause agrarian conflicts that can harm the people.

"Certainly we support economic growth for the sake of national development, but is it to achieve that the state then ignores the rights of the people?" he said.

"The government must find a balance between attracting foreign investment and protecting people's rights, don't be haphazard and be affected here and there," concluded Mardani.