President Jokowi Tells Agrarian Ministry to Introduce Digital-based Services This Year

President Jokowi gives a speech at the opening of the 2019 ATR Ministry /BPN’s National Working Meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/2). (Photo by: Rahmat/Public Relations Division)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called for services in the land sector to be provided through digital-based service systems immediately.

According to him, he has ordered the implementation of digital-based service system in this sector since three years ago and has ordered Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning to implement the system this year.

“Land services must be accessible to the public anywhere, so that the National Land Agency (BPN) offices must no longer be crowded with people,” the President said in his remarks at the 2019 National Working Meeting of Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/the National Land Agency, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/2).

“I have asked Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning to run the entire business process electronically. All files, all documents must be transformed into a digital format,” he added.

Building a digital system or platform, according to the President, is not difficult. In fact, the entire service process can run in real time, accurately and safely, and it can also facilitate the public and ease investment process.

President Jokowi also told the Ministry to develop and improve its HR management system starting from recruitment phase, career upgrading, personnel performance, competency-based assessment systems, to reward and punishment scheme. Just like other ministries, the Ministry has also been given a target, namely land certificate issuance that must be completed by 2025, he said.

President Jokowi together with participants of the 2019 ATR Ministry /BPN’s National Working Meeting, Jakarta, Wednesday (6/2). (Photo by: Rahmat/Public Relations Division)

According to the President, people should easily obtain their land certificate easily on their own, instead of through scalpers. Costs in obtaining the certificate should also be transparent and most importantly, land certificate issuance must also be done in a shorter time, he said.

“The BPN offices have transformed. People appreciate what the BPN offices have done,” the President said, adding that the Government will offer a solution should the Ministry faces problems in completing the set targets.

The President cited an example that in 2015 when the Ministry experienced lacked land surveyors to complete 126 million land parcels that had not been certified. At that time, the Government stepped in to find suitable surveyors, including private surveyors.

Furthermore, President Jokowi added that the digital-based service system in land certificate issuance is also expected to improve Indonesia’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) index ranking as land certificate issuance becomes one of the assessments in determining the EoDB ranking.

The President also expressed belief that with hard work and determination from all personnel of the Ministry, land certificate issuance can be completed by 2025 as targeted. (DNA/RAH/ES)

Translated by: Muhardi

Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas