TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo handed over land retribution certificates to the residents of Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara on Wednesday, 21 August, 2019. The lands were originated from a neglected land previously owned by PT Panggung Guna Ganda Semesta (PT PGGS).

"Land certificate is a proof of legal rights over the owned land. In [the certificate] there is the owner information so there will be no more land dispute or conflict," Jokowi said in a written statement issued by the Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency on Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

The handover was conducted at the Kupang Regent Office. The certificates cover land located in the Oebelo, Bipoli, Nunkurus, Babudan Merdeka Village in Central Kupang and East Kupang.

In addition to handing over certificates gained from retribution, President Jokowi also provided land certificate as a result of the Complete Systematic Land Registration process.

Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency Sofyan Djalil, said that the agrarian reformation is intended to resolve the unbalanced land ownership and to utilize the land form public welfare. The land that was being divided is a former Business Use Right of PT PGGS with a total area of 3,720 hectares in Kupang, which has been determined as State Public Reserve Land and as neglected land

Sofyan further explained that 2,332 hectares of the land will be utilized for Management Rights for the East Nusa Tenggara province administration. "Meanwhile, the remaining 1,488 hectares is allocated for the land retribution program and has been provided with 2,244 certificates for the public," Sofyan stated.

Kupang Regent Korinus Masneno, expressed his gratitude to the central government for providing certainty on a 26-years neglected land. "Also thank you for providing land for salt production for Kupang Regency residents for the land that has been neglected more or less 26 years," Korinus said.

ADAM PRIREZA