Gov’t Distributes 3,000 Land Certificates in W. Kalimantan

President Jokowi delivers remarks on the distribution of land certificates in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Thursday (5/9). (Photo: Rahmat/PR)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday (5/9) distributed 3,000 land certificates for residents in West Kalimantan province, including 300 certificates of immigrants’ land that have been occupied since 2007.

The President also distributed decree (SK) of 133 thousand hectares of Agrarian Reform Objects Land (TORA) to 5,200 families in the province.

In his remarks, President Jokowi said that the Government has to issue 126 million land certificates throughout the country but so far it had issued only 46 million certificates, meaning there are still 80 million certificates to be issued.

“This because every year the Government only produces around 500 thousand to 600 thousand certificates. If this persists, we should wait until 160 years to complete all certificates,” he said.

Therefore, President Jokowi in 2016 instructed Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning (ATR) / Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) to speed up land certificates issuance to 5 million in 2017 and 7 million in 2018.

“And the Ministry successfully met the target. In 2019 I set the new target to issue 9 million certificates and I believe they can achieve it,” the President said, adding that setting a target is important.

He also mentioned ‘work fast’ as the new principle as in the future, there are no longer rich countries that defeat poor countries; instead there will be fast countries that defeat slow countries. “That is what I always say to my Cabinet. Everyone must set a target and work fast to achieve it,” he said, adding that a certificate is crucial to avoid land conflicts.

On that occasion, the President also reminded the residents to be careful if they want to use the certificate as collateral. “Please calculate it carefully,” President Jokowi said. (FID/RAH/ES)

Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas