"Implementing agrarian reform is essential if we aim to become a major industrial country," BP Taskin Head Budiman Sudjatmiko stated.
Speaking at an event on agrarian reform, rural development, cooperatives, food security, and poverty alleviation in Jakarta on Thursday, he emphasized that restructuring Indonesia's agrarian policies is key to improving people's living standards.
"In order to achieve industrial progress, we need natural resources that benefit a broad segment of society, especially land," he stressed.
Sudjatmiko asserted that President Prabowo Subianto should take direct leadership in driving Indonesia's agrarian reform.
He also highlighted that collaboration among all sectors of society—including political parties, the military, the police, and non-governmental organizations—is crucial to addressing land-related issues.
"This is necessary because we could face resistance if the president issues a decree that is rejected by the public," he remarked.
He further noted that the government's commitment to poverty eradication is evident in its inclusion of agrarian reform in its Asta Cita missions.
Meanwhile, Ida Nurlinda, an agrarian law professor at the University of Padjadjaran, echoed Sudjatmiko's views, emphasizing that the president must take a direct role in Indonesia's agrarian reform.
She argued that presidential involvement is essential to prevent irresponsible parties from exploiting agrarian matters, especially those related to customary lands, for personal gain.
"Issues concerning customary lands are widespread in Indonesia. Therefore, full government support is crucial to ensuring that the process of restoring public lands to customary ownership remains free from corruption," she emphasized.
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Translator: Anita P, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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