Koster Applicables Land Transfer Ban Until The Regional Regulation Is Issued

DENPASAR - Bali Governor Wayan Koster imposed Bali Governor's Instruction Number 5 of 2025 regarding the prohibition of land conversion to be applied by regents/mayors and valid until the issuance of related regional regulations.

"This instruction will take effect on the date of stipulation until the stipulation of the Bali Provincial Regulation regarding Controlling the Transfer of Agricultural Land Functions," said Koster, Wednesday, December 3.

The first instructions are asking regional heads not to do and not to approve the transfer of agricultural land functions, including Sustainable Food Agriculture Land (LP2B) and Sawah Baku Area (LBS) to other sectors, not agriculture.

Second, maintaining and maintaining the existence of agricultural land, including LP2B and LBS as established in each city/district.

Third, do not do and do not approve of changes to the designation of LP2B and LBS in the Regional Spatial Planning (RTRW) and the City/Regency Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR).

Fourth, increasing supervision and enforcing participatory law with the authorities to the level of the head of the environment.

"If there is a violation in accordance with Article 72 to Article 74 of Law Number 41 of 2009 as amended by Law Number 6 of 2023, which states that individuals, government officials, corporations who transfer the function of LP2B are sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 5 years and a fine of Rp. 1 billion," said Koster as quoted by ANTARA.

Further instructions for regents/mayors to impose policies on providing incentives and/or other awards to farmers and stakeholders who are committed to maintaining food sovereignty with agricultural land.

Sixth, carry out the instructions in an orderly, disciplined, and full of niscale-scale sense of responsibility.

"All costs incurred as a result of the stipulation of this instruction are borne by the city/district budget and or sourced from other legitimate regional income," he said.

In addition to regional heads, the Bali Provincial Government also conveyed information about this instruction to the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency.

Governor Koster explained that the ban on land conversion was behind several things, such as realizing food sovereignty while maintaining balance and the availability of productive land, especially agricultural land in Bali.

Food sovereignty is one of the goals that the Bali Provincial Government wants to achieve as mandated in the Future Bali Development Policy, 100 Years of Bali New Era 2025-2125.

Based on the Letter of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia Number: B-193/SR.020/M/05/2025 dated May 16, 2025 also discussed the prohibition of the conversion of agricultural land functions to other (non-farming) sectors, strategic policies are needed to control the transfer of agricultural land functions to other sectors in Bali Province;

The instruction to prohibit land transfer is subject to at least eight legal grounds, namely Law Number 26 of 2007, Law Number 41 of 2009, Law Number 23 of 2014, Law Number 15 of 2023, Government Regulation Number 1 of 2011, Presidential Regulation Number 59 of 2019, Bali Provincial Regulation Number 2 of 2023, and Bali Provincial Regulation Number 4 of 2023.