KSP Asks The Authority To Carefully Identify Land Ownership At IKN Nusantara

The KSP team met with a number of traditional leaders of Paser Balik in Sepaku Village, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan. (ANTARA/HO-KSP)

JAKARTA - Main Expert Staff of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) for Agrarian Reform Usep Setyawan said the government is committed to paying attention that local residents must be the subject of determining the development of the Indonesian Capital City (IKN).

This was conveyed when KSP carried out field verification at the zero point of IKN. "Residents should not be victims or spectators, but must be the subject who will determine the success of IKN development in areas that they previously owned or controlled," said Usep in a press release received in Jakarta, Thursday, March 24.

In addition, KSP will also ensure that the implementation of IKN development must be inclusive and persuasive to the surrounding community. Regarding land issues, Usep added, KSP will ensure that nothing is missed, especially the ownership and control of land within forest areas and outside forest areas from other indigenous and local communities.

"KSP encourages the IKN Authority Agency and the relevant K/L to really identify ownership, control, use and utilization of land in the IKN area," said Usep, as quoted by Antara.

In addition, KSP stated that the enthusiasm of the people of East Kalimantan to be involved in the development of IKN Nusantara was quite high.

“We came here (IKN) to see and hear what the people want regarding the development of the nation's capital city. It turned out that they were very enthusiastic and gave a very high appreciation for the government's efforts,” said KSP Main Expert Ali Mochtar Ngabalin.

In addition to visiting point zero, the KSP team also met with a number of regional leaders in East Kalimantan such as the Commander of the VI Mulawarman TNI Major General Teguh Pudjo Rumekso, the East Kalimantan Regional Police Chief Inspector General Imam Sugianto, and the Acting Regent of North Penajam Paser Hamdan Pongrewa. The KSP team also met with the Chief of the Paser Balik Sabukdin Indigenous Tribe and a number of traditional leaders in the Sepaku Village.

At the meeting, traditional leaders in the IKN area said they had no intention of rejecting the development of the IKN. In fact, they are happy that their area was chosen as the country's capital.

"But we want the government to pay attention to the rights of indigenous people. Also to include us as subjects," said the head of the Paser Balik Sabukdin Tribe.

In response to this, the Chair of the KSP IKN Task Force, Wandy N. Tuturoong, explained that the purpose of the KSP meeting with a number of traditional leaders was to ensure that IKN development runs smoothly as well as to build a mechanism so that development can be sustainable.

"The IKN development approach that is being carried out will not leave the community around the area. I think we need to do a sociological and historical mapping of the people living in the IKN area,” said Wandy.