Ministry Of ATR/BPN Criminal Mafia Land In Batam

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) through the Directorate General of Land Control and Control and Spatial Planning (Ditjen PPTR), the Directorate of Control of Spatial Utilization, and PT Mega Karya Nanjaya is suspected of trading plots for the Sei Hulu Lanjai Protected Forest area, Batam, Riau Islands into the realm of law.

Director of Spatial Utilization Control of the Directorate General of PPTR Ariodillah Virgantara said the investigation into land function changes in protected forest areas that were traded was based on the results of the spatial audit of the Batam, Bintan and Karimun National Strategic Areas by the Ministry of ATR/BPN in 2019.

"It was found that spatial planning did not match the implementation in the field. It turned out that the audit results that the forest should not be a forest anymore," said Ariodillah as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, May 22.

Ariodillah explained that his party had carried out a search through satellite imagery in 2020, 2021, and 2022, there was a movement, where the covers that were still in 2017 began to be dismantled. Furthermore, the land was used as plots that were sold at low prices.

The Directorate General of PPTR has twice installed warning signs that prohibit the construction in protected forest areas in 2020 and 2022 but were dismantled by unknown persons. Development activities continue to run with a number of houses having been established.

According to Ariodillah, with a number of available evidences, Budi Sudarmawan as President Director of PT Megah Karya Nanjaya was declared to have committed illegal acts and violated Law Number 26 Article 69 of 2007 concerning Spatial Planning.

Then, the Directorate of Control of Spatial Utilization, the Directorate General of Land Control and Control and Rooms followed up with the Batam City Government, the Riau Islands Provincial Government to the Regional Police to take action against the suspect.

"In the process that has been going on for almost a year, the Directorate General of Land Control and Control has found the suspect and the case file is complete or P21. The file has been submitted to the Batam District Attorney and will be tried in two weeks," said Ariodillah.

Ariodillah said that the case of protected forest that was traded was not only detrimental to the state, but also to residents. Moreover, this case has entered the stage of the sale and purchase transaction by the suspect unilaterally, where the suspect created a fake mastership plan without the approval of the Batam Concession Agency (BP).

However, in accordance with applicable regulations, buildings that have been established must still be demolished and restored into forests again.

The Ministry of ATR/BPN is also looking for a solution so that the fate of the people who have purchased the plot can be handled properly. The plan is for the Ministry of ATR/BPN to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) to provide Simple Rental Flats (Rusunawa) to accommodate disadvantaged buyers.

Ariodillah reminded the public to examine the housing certificate to be purchased. Currently, the case has been processed into the realm of criminal law and is a momentum for the Ministry of ATR/BPN to create a deterrent effect for the land mafia.