Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia during the Distribution of Land Certificates, Social Forestry Decree, and Agrarian Reform Objects Decree in Kesongo Area, Blora Regency, Central Java Province, March 11, 2023
Bismillahirahmanirahim.
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
Good morning,
May peace be upon us all.
Distinguished Ministers, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Minister of Environment and Forestry, Cabinet Secretary, Vice Minister of ATR/BPN;
Distinguished Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo, Regent of Blora, Regent of Grobogan, Regent of Bojonegoro, Regent of Brebes, and Regent of Kudus.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the certificate holders,
Good morning. Good afternoon. Feeling hot? I do not know who chose the location here. There are some good places in Blora regency or in Cepu city, but why did you choose here? Is this place is very good? My question is who chose the location?
I asked the minister, who chose this place? I asked the Governor, “The people chose themselves the place, Sir.” Here is the place, so far away. It is fine if it is far away, but it is muddy. After this, are we going to plant it? It is like we are going to plow the fields. Plow the fields, right?
However, today I am very happy. I have always heard problems about land disputes, ground conflicts, land conflicts, in all provinces, all regencies, and all cities, included in the Blora regency. The Minister of BPN just said that the conflict has been going on since 1947. Correct? So, should we just let it carry on?
Therefore, I ordered the Minister of ATR/BPN last year to make an inspection, to check properly, especially in the Ngelo subdistrict, Cepu subdistrict, and Karangboyo subdistrict. What is going on, how come it is not settled yet? BPN should have settled it, and today it turns out that the problem can be solved. Even though from 1,160 certificates that should be handed over, 1,043 certificates were ready to be distributed. More than a hundred are not ready yet, but 1,043 certificates have been handed over to you, ladies and gentlemen.
Who already have received the certificates? The certificate, not the social forest one. Raise it up. Not that one. The certificate, like this one. Apparently, different beneficiaries here. Where are they (the certificate beneficiaries)?
There are 1,043 certificates that we have handed over already. Oh this one, this, this. Not yet? How come? There are already 1,043 certificates been issued. Around 123 have not been issued yet, but 1,043 have been done. So, be grateful for that.
Right? Very well. Alhamdulillah. Not yet, indeed, there are still 123 that have been issued, but 1,043 has been done. Please, if we are given a favor, be grateful, right?
This one is done. This is the Right of Building (HGB) above the Right of Land Management (HPL), so everyone knows, right? The HGB above the HPL is valid for 30 years, can be extended for 20 years, and can be renewed for 30 years, so it means 80 years. Still not enough? In the next 80 years, you will probably not alive. Want to inherit it? Eighty years. Is not it so? So, anyone still thinks that it is not enough? Just come over here.
For Ngelo subdistrict, Cepu subdistrict, Karangboyo subdistrict, done. Later, the remaining 123 will be issued soon. We work at a fast pace, because we do not just take care of Blora regency, but all regencies/cities. We have 514 regencies/cities throughout Indonesia, all of them have many problems about this issue.
Secondly, on social forestry. Those who already holds the certificate, raise your hand up. Very well, you all have received it. Please, take good care of it, you all have been given the decree. The green decree had been given.
Please use the land productively, do not neglect it, agree? Don’t just ask, but then neglect it after it has been given. I can revoke it if it is neglected. Agree? If it is neglected, it can be revoked. Agree? You can plant corn and teak in agroforestry, can’t you. Right? Corn and mahogany. You may discuss it later, so everything can go at the same time.
I would like to invite someone come forward. Those who have received social forest certificates, raise your hands please. Raise first and I will invite one. Raise first. Wait a moment, wait, wait. Come over here ma’am. Just walk slowly because you may slip. Wait, wait, wait. Be careful. We may slip if we are not careful.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Wait. Yes, just a minute. Here, Sir.
Please introduce yourself.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
My name is mbah Latinah from Kedinding, Kedungtuban, Cepu sub-district, Blora regency.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes, who?
Representative of Certificate Recipient / Decree (Latinah):
Ms. Latinah.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Ms. Latinah from Cepu. Don’t bother to mention the villages and sub-districts, I cannot remember them all.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
I am so happy, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Alright. Bu? Who?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Mbah Latinah.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Ibu Latinah, Mbah Latinah, Mbah Latinah from Cepu. Before you receive this, what do you do when working on the land?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
I plant corn, Sir. I plant corn and peanuts.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Planting corn, planting peanuts. Then, whose land you plant? Whose land is it? Do you have a certificate?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
I do not have it, Sir, I do not have it.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
How come you can plant in that land?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
I was allowed to use it, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Who gives you permission?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Bapak Mantri gives me the permission.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Bapak Mantri. You do not have any evidence?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
No, that’s okay.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
You did not have one. Now you have this, right. Please tell him.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
I already have this certificate from President Jokowi. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Finally I have an evidence, I am very grateful, Sir. Thank you, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes, yes, yes. That is not what I meant.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
What do you mean, Sir?
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Now you have the certificate, right? You already have it. Then what do you want to do with the land? If you used to plant corn, what do you want to plant now? Is it the same?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
The same, Sir, corn. Yes. If there are things to do, I just do what Bapak Mantri says. I was given eucalyptus and … I forgot what it was, Sir. I just did it. I just the directions.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Alright. Are you planting corn or what? How is the result?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Sometimes if the corn is large, it can reach two tons.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
If it is large, two tons.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Yes, 2.5 tons. Uncertain, Sir. Previously, I did not get many corns, because there were lots of rats.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Many rats?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Nothing left for me, Sir. All gone.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Eaten by the rats?
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Yes, eaten by the rats. The corns were eaten by the rats.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
How come? What if the rats are coming again?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Latinah):
No more, Sir. No more, Sir. Now, there are no more rats.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Oh, there are no rats anymore? Then, it is good.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Thank you, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
One moment, over here.
Representative of Certificate Recipients / Decree (Latinah):
Yes, yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Please introduce yourself. Name?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
My name is Yatimin.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Mr Yatimin from?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
From Sambong, Blora.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
From Sambong, Blora. Sambong, Blora.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Gubug Dhuwur farmers group, led by Mr. Wondho.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Gubug Dhuwur? How come the pavilion is so tall? What do you mean?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (yatimin):
Yes, Gubug Dhuwur, sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Gubug dhuwur, alright. Same question, do you plant the same plant as you did previously? Is it the same?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Before that also corn Sir.
I also planted corn, Sir
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Corn. Planted corn?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes. Yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Any other kind of plant?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Corn, cassava. Still waiting the teak to grow, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
They are under the teak?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, under the teak.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Oh, I see. Alright. The teak trees belong to Perhutani (State-Owned Enterprise in Forestry), so you are planting corn? If you harvest the corn, does Perhutani ask for the crops?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, Sir, to pay the taxes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Previously Mbah Latinah said no. Now, I ask Mr. Yatimin?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, kind of pay taxes. They said taxes are used to measure.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Please, make it clear. What kind of tax you mean?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, they said it was the tax, Sir. I used to have 200.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
200 what?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Rp200 thousand.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Rp200 thousand per what?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Per after harvest.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Per year?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Per year or per harvest?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Per year, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Per year? Per year?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Per year?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes. But there are friends who pay per harvest.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Some pay after the harvest.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Oh, I see, okay, yes. Then besides corn, what else you plant?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Sometimes planted with papaya, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Papaya?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, cassava.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
So how much money is earned during the harvest season?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
For about four kilograms of seeds, five kilograms, I earn around Rp3.2 million.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Rp3.2 million for how many months?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Four months, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Four months?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Four months, okay.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
The income depends if it produces a maximum yield.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
That is good.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
It is a lot, but sometimes the plant suffers from fungus or disease or a kind of that.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Why?
(A resident)
[Inaudible audio]
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
I know. So, let me answer that. Yesterday, I also went to Kebumen regency, Sumatra and Kalimantan, and I have always heard issues about fertilizers. Not only it is expensive, but the products are out of stock.
This is for all of you to know, to know that the need of fertilizers in Indonesia is amounting to 13 million tons, throughout Indonesia 13 million tons. Currently, Indonesia can only produce 3.5 million tons, right? The rest 6.3 million tons are imported, so how much is it? About 9 million tons, 9.8 million tons, and how much is it left? 3.2 million tons.
The problem now, you should know that we import a lot of materials and fertilizers from Russia and Ukraine. Have you heard of it? Now, Ukraine and Russia are at war. You understand, right? Not only Indonesia is lacking of fertilizers, but other countries, that do not even have fertilizer factories, are getting nothing. So, we have to beware of it. Right.
Therefore, last month, we reinstated the fertilizer company PT. Pupuk Iskandar Muda in Aceh and we funded it. It already produces fertilizers, but it is still low at 570,000 tons. It is a lot, but still nothing compared to our needs. It has produced 570,000 tons, but that is still way far from our needs. If the fertilizer supply is not enough, but the demand is high, so what happens? What market law applies to that? The price will definitely go up. That is the problem.
(A resident)
But my friends get subsidized fertilizers, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes. Subsidized fertilizers are limited, and non-subsidized fertilizers are also limited.
(A resident)
[Inaudible audio].
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes. That is our problem. We know it, but once again, the production is still limited. Now, let’s continue. So what else do you plant besides corn? Just corn?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Corn. Sometimes cassava is planted on the side, Sir. Cassava.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Corn and cassava? Alright. Every four months you can get Rp3 million?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, about eight quintals, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Rp3 million for all?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, approximately. It was a good result because they were planted at the lower part, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes, yes, yes, yes. After holding the certificate, what do you think about it, Mr. Yatimin?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
After holding this, I think while I am planting corn, I want to grow annual plants on some area, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
What plant is that?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
For example: guava, jackfruit, and avocado. That is what I think, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Oh I see, but the harvest will be long.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes, I can wait while I am growing the corn. That is what I think.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Yes, that is good. If you can, if you all are willing to grow long-term plants, it is good, but are you able to take care of the plants everyday? That is the problem.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
Yes it is, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
So, I suggest that if you are willing to do so, go to BRI Bank, they have People’s Business Credit (KUR Tani) for farmers.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (a resident):
None, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
They have it. You just have not come there yet. They provide a lot of it, but you will be asked about the guarantee.
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
That is right, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Alright. So, you can show them the certificate and ask them whether you can use it. Try it. Do not borrow from loan sharks. If you borrow from BRI, the interest rate is 6 percent per year. Just one year, not one month. Try it. Try it. So, if you grow annual plants, you can still manage your daily life. Isn’t it so?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Yatimin):
So, this can serve as a guarantee, Sir.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Ask BRI. I will talk to BRI later. Banks have calculations. If they are unsure about the person and the guarantee, they will not give the person loans. I do not want to sugarcoat it. No. I do not want to. I say what it is, right? If it is difficult, I will say it is difficult. If it is easy, I will say it is easy. I do not want to say only pleasant things. No. I will say as it is, including the issue on fertilizer. Right.
I conclude my remarks on this good opportunity. Once again, use the land that has been given to you wisely for a better life. So, that is it. And for mbah who was it?
Representative of Certificate Recipient/SK (Latinah):
Mbah Latinah.
President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):
Mbah Latinah, Mr. Yatimin, I will give each of you a bicycle. Where is the bicycle? This is the bicycle, so you know that the bicycle can be exchanged with a car, because there is an inscription “A present from President Jokowi”. That makes it expensive. Not the bicycle. That is what makes it expensive. Try to exchange it with a car.
That is all. I thank you.
I conclude my remarks.
Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
(FKH/AW/HD)