Mahfud Alluded, Minister Of ATR/BPN: Redistribution Of Land In The Jokowi Era More Than 2.96 Million Fields

Minister of ATR-BPN Hadi Tjahjanto. (ANTARA-Ministry of ATR-BPN)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Hadi Tjahjanto, emphasized that the land redistribution program had been running since 1961. More than that, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is even considered to be accelerating the issuance of land redistribution certificates.

This statement was Hadi's response to the statement of the candidate for vice president (cawapres) number 3, Mahfud MD, who said that there was not a single certificate for land redistribution.

The redistribution is a process of transitioning land owned by individuals or groups to the community or other individuals for various purposes, one of which is reducing the inequality of land ownership. The land redistributed is the result of the former Right to Use Business (HGU), abandoned land, other state lands, and the release of forest areas.

"The land redistribution has been implemented since 1961, after the Agrarian Basic Law came out. From 1961 to 2014, we (the government) have certified 2.79 million plots of land," Hadi said in a written statement, Tuesday, January 23.

"Then, continued by Pak Jokowi from 2015 to 2023, it has been certified 2.96 million fields within 8 years. So, every year we issue 424 thousand certificate fields. This means better than for 52 years from 1961 to 2014, because the system is also better," said Hadi.

Thus, Hadi stated that Mahfud MD's data was irrelevant. "I convey according to the data and the people who have received it," he continued.

Hadi added that the ministry he leads continues to coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) in efforts to accelerate land redistribution. He also mentioned that there are around 22,000 villages in forest areas that are being sought to be handed over to the community.

This step, said Hadi, is ATR/BPN's commitment to realizing agrarian reform, which according to him is not only one ministry.

"I have to coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry so that it is given control of land in forest areas. We are also coordinating with the KKP to solve the problems of people living on the water, on the coast," he said.

Agrarian reforms are not only carried out by ATR/BPN. However, there are also KLHK and KKP. So the land problem can be resolved as long as the synergy between ATR/BPN and KLHK and KKP is still in process. Therefore, in 2024 we will increase synergy and coordination," continued Hadi.

The debate about land redistribution occurred when vice presidential candidate Mahfud MD responded to the statement of vice presidential candidate number 2, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, regarding the agrarian reform policy that has been carried out by the current government.

"We will continue the agrarian reform agenda related to land ownership and also fairer use of land. The PTSL program (Complete Systematic Land Program), land redistribution, and one map policy will continue," said Gibran.

Then, Mahfud replied, "There are three agrarian reforms, one legalization, the second redistribution, then the third is the return of claims of land rights. Now, there is not a single redistribution certificate yet, there is only legalization, namely people who already have (land) and then are given a certificate. Others have not yet received this redistribution."