Remarks of the President of the Republic of Indonesia During the Ceremony of Distribution of Land Certificates, Monday, 9 November 2020, at the State Palace, Jakarta Province

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Good afternoon,

May prosperity be upon us,

Om Swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of Virtue.

Distinguished Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (BPN),

Distinguished Presidential Chief of Staff,

Distinguished Chairperson of Commission II of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI),

Distinguished Governors, Regents, Mayors and all regional leaders in Indonesia.

Distinguished Heads of Regional Offices and Local Offices of the BPN in Indonesia.

Distinguished land certificate beneficiaries,

Ladies and gentlemen.

In commemorating the service month of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, today I will distribute one million land certificates to the people living in 31 provinces and 201 regencies and cities. One million (certificates) for today. One million certificates is a very large number, considering that before the PTSL (Comprehensive Systematic Land Registration) program, every year, before 2017, every year we only issued approximately 500,000 land certificates in Indonesia. In all regions of Indonesia we only issued 500,000 certificates. If every year we only issue 500,000 certificates of parcels (of land) owned by the people across the country, it will take 160 years to be completed. Ladies and gentlemen, do you want to wait 160 years? In all regions of the country, there are 126 million certificates that must be issued. In 2015, we had only issued 46 million certificates, so we still need 80 million more certificates. If we only issue 500,000 certificates a year, we have to wait 160 years.

To that end, I told the Minister at that time, “Mr. Minister, we cannot work like this, we have to work with the target.” So I set the target and I am serious with the target. If the target is not achieved, I warn off heads of local offices, heads of regional offices in the provinces and the minister. We work to achieve the target.

Alhamdulillah, praise be to God, with the hard work of all officials and employees of the National Land Agency (BPN) in regencies/cities, provinces, and the central Government, in 2017, we were able to issue (certificates) for 5.4 million parcels (of land), 5.4 million certificates, from the previous 500,000 in 2015. The result in 2016 was 1.1 (million certificates), it increased twofold. I don’t want it. I want it to increase tenfold. We could get 5.4 million in 2017. It means that we can achieve the target. In 2018, I set another target of 9.3 million, 9 million, and 9.3 million was achieved. In 2019 I set a target of 9 million (certificates), and 11.2 million certificates was issued. This year, I actually set a target of 10 million (certificates), but I am aware that we have a pandemic, and there are obstacles on the ground and in the offices, so I reduce the target from 10 million (certificates) to 7 million (certificates). And I am sure that, God willing, we can achieve it.

Ladies and gentlemen, have you received the certificates? Please show me. All right, you have received the certificates. In the past 5 years, the total certificates that I have distributed directly are 2.4 million (certificates). Every time I go to the regions, I distribute 5,000 (certificates), 7,000 (certificates), 10,000 (certificates) or 12,000 (certificates). And I always ask the recipients to show me the certificates. Why? Because I want to ensure that the people have received the certificates. I have distributed 2.4 million (certificates) directly. The other certificates were distributed by the Minister, Head of Regional Offices, and Head of the Local Offices. The total parcels of land that have been certified in Indonesia are approximately 18.9 million parcels (of land). The number of parcels of land is 18.9 million. In terms of area, there are 5.3 million hectares that have been certified, 5.3 million, which is very large number.

Therefore, our target is that in 2025, all parcels of land in Indonesia must be certified, God willing, and there will be no people owning land without holding the certificate. Certificates for lands of places of worship must also be distributed, including for mosques, churches, or temples. The certificates must be issued.

Why do I distribute the certificates directly? I want to tell you this. Every time I go to the villages, every time I go to the hamlets, almost every week, every two days I go to the villages, to the hamlets, the complaints that come to me is that a lot of parcels of land have not been certified, so that there are many land disputes, many land conflicts. I have heard that procedures for getting land certificates was very difficult, very complicated. I have experienced it myself that the process to get land certificate used to be very time consuming. I have experienced it. I know it.

 Therefore, at that time I ordered Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the BPN to simplify procedures for land certificate issuance. Do not let the procedures for certificate issuance take years to complete. Have you experienced it? Today it does not happen again. It happened in the past. I have experienced it. Once again, I remind you that the certificate is proof of rights that guarantees legal certainty of the land we own. It is very important to prevent disputes. It is very important to prevent land conflicts, whether among individuals, between individuals and companies, or individuals and the Government.

Because the certificate is very important as the proof of legal certainty, I remind you to keep the certificate, so that it is not damaged or lost. When you arrive at home, you can copy the certificate and save it in a different place. So if the original file is lost, you still have the copy. If the copy is lost, you have the original, and you can copy it again. Please be careful.

When you have received the certificate and you need additional working capital or want to do business, this can be used as collateral. The certificate can be used as collateral for banks or financial institutions. But before borrowing the money, it must be carefully calculated to ensure that you can repay the loan. Avoid the situation when you cannot repay the loan and lose the certificate. And when you get the money from the bank, you must use 100 percent of it for the productive sector, for working capital, for investment. Do not use it to buy a car, do not use it to buy a motorbike, don not use it to buy your children cell phone, or other expensive, consumptive things.

And on this auspicious occasion, I would like to express my deep gratitude and highest appreciation to all officials and employees of Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/the National Land Agency (BPN). I thank the Minister, along with all Regional Offices and Land Offices for your hard work. I know all of you now have to work hard in the morning, the afternoon, the evening, until the next morning to achieve the target we have set. Let us continue to work hard to achieve better achievements.

I think that concludes my remarks in this auspicious occasion.

I thank you.

Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

I thank you.

Om Santi Santi Santi Om.

Translated by Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by Lulu Wuliarti