It's Been 56 Years Established, Pasundan Christian Church Kramat Jati Finally Has A Certificate

Minister of ATR/Head of BPN Nusron Wahid when handing over SHM to the General Chair of the GKP Synod Council, Magyolin Carolina Tuasuun, in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) handed over the certificate of ownership (SHM) to the Pasundan Christian Church (GKP) in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, today.

The certificate was handed over by the Minister of ATR/Head of BPN Nusron Wahid to the General Chair of the GKP Synod Council, Magyolin Carolina Tuasuun.

"Towards this Christmas, we from the Ministry of ATR/BPN can submit and issue certificates of property rights for religious institutions, in this context the church," said Nusron at the location, Tuesday, December 24.

"Because now any religious institution in Indonesia as long as it is recognized, it may have a property rights certificate," he continued.

He advised that the certificates that had been given could be properly maintained and not used as debt guarantees.

"But if you already have it, don't let the pastor take it or sell it. Save the good, especially if it's not taken away by the congregation," said Nusron.

"This is an asset of a religious institution, this belongs to the congregation. It is well guarded so that when worship in the future it will be calm because this land is official and recognized," he continued.

The handover of this certificate is a historic moment for the church which has been established since 1968. After 56 years, finally the church, which now has more than 600 official congregations, has legal certainty over the land rights.

"I beg the mother (Magyolin) of the Pasundan Church, please check the church elsewhere whether it has been certified or not. In principle, we open the door and facilitate the service of the certificate process of any religious institution," he added.

The handover of the certificate of houses of worship for the church is the result of accelerating the registration of waqf land and houses of worship through the National Movement for Certification of Houses of Worship and Islamic Boarding Schools with the Complete Systematic Land Registration program (PTSL).

Certification is not only just the ratification of land legality, but also a symbol of the government's commitment to supporting religious diversity and maintaining the sustainability of places of worship that play an important role in people's social lives.

Meanwhile, until the end of 2024, 120.6 million plots of land throughout Indonesia have been registered through PTSL.