Ministry of ATR/BPN Drafts Regulations to Strengthen the Control of Land Ownership and Utilization

The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (“ATR/BPN”) is currently drafting new regulations to strengthen the control of land tenure, ownership, use, and utilization. Andi Renald, Director of Land Rights Control, Land Conversion, Islands, and Certain Areas at the Ministry of ATR/BPN, stated that such strengthening is necessary because, to date, the results of monitoring activities related to land control have often been slow to be implemented.

“Stronger regulations are needed. Therefore, we are currently drafting regulations to accelerate activities relating to the control and enforcement of land tenure and ownership, both through Regulation of Government (“PP”) and Regulation of the Minister (“Permen”),” he said.

Andi stated that the strengthening of controls over Land Tenure, Ownership, Use, and Utilization (Penguasaan, Pemilikan, Penggunaan dan Pemanfaatan Tanah - “P4T”) would be implemented through three integrated stages. These stages would begin with control measures at the initial stage, when an application for land rights is submitted; continue with periodic monitoring and evaluation of compliance with applicable obligations; and culminate in enforcement measures, such as the cancellation of land rights and the designation of land as abandoned where rights holders are found to be in violation.

He noted that the new regulations would provide a stronger legal framework and more explicit authority, thereby requiring rights holders and relevant technical units to promptly follow up on and monitor the recommendations issued by the land utilization control team.