Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) handed over 13,455 land ownership certificates to residents of Tarakan city and Bulungan district, North Kalimantan.
"I am happy that ladies and gentlemen have already held the certificates. It is a form of legal certainty for your owned lands," he remarked while presenting freehold land right certificates in Tarakan on Tuesday.
The President pointed out that he had often heard complaints from the community related to land disputes. The disputes were likely hurting landowners because they did not possess any certificate proving their ownership, he added.
Therefore, the President said he has asked his team to expedite land certificate issuance to the community.
He further said he had discussed the land certificate issue with a minister on the helicopter ride and also gave him certain orders.
"Quickly certify and give what is owned by the people, so an unknown party who comes from Jakarta or abroad would not hold (claim) the land ownership titles instead," he informed.
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In the last five years, the government has issued about 25 million certificates to the public, Widodo noted. Moreover, another 41 million certificates are ready to be given to the community, he said.
He then lauded all those who have worked hard to accelerate the completion of freehold land right certificates for the community.
"I thank the regional office of the National Agency for Land Affairs (BPN) in cities and districts who have strived to complete the issuance of certificates. Do not (delay) the process of certification for years. Now, it is quick and directly given," Widodo said.
Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning and head of the National Land Agency (BPN), Sofyan Djalil; Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita; Minister of Investment and head of the Investment Coordinating Board, Bahlil Lahadalia; Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung; Governor of North Kalimantan, Zainal Arifin Paliwang; and Tarakan city Mayor Khairul were also present at the event.
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