Agraria Law

Principles of Agrarian Law

Conflicts in relation to agrarian law occur a lot in Indonesia. Why does this happen? Is it because the legal instruments available are not sufficient for the people’s needs? Agrarian law in Indonesia is regulated under Law Number 5 Year 1960 concerning Agrarian...

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Verification of Old Rights on Land Registration

Article 24 Paragraph (1) of the Government Regulation Number 24 of 1997 on Land Registration (“GR No. 24/1997”) regulates that, for purposes of land registration which comes from the conversion of old rights, are proven by the evidence of existence of such rights in the form of written evidence, witness testimony and or the relevant statement that the level of its truth by Adjudication Committee on systematic land registration or by the Chief of the Land Office on sporadic land registration, are considered proper for right registration requirement, right holder and others people’s rights that is attached to them.

The application must be attached with the evidence of ownership/original document proving the existence of the related rights. Those evidences can be in the form of:

1. grosse certificate of eigendom right which is issued under Overschrijvings Ordonatie (S.1834-27), which had been given notes, that the related rights of eigendom was converted into ownership right.

2. grosse certificate of eigendom rights which was issued under Overschrijvings Ordonatie (S.1834-27) since the enactment of Law Number 5 of 1960 on Principle Provisions of Agrarian (“Agrarian Law”) until the date of land registration is conducted based on the Government Regulation Number 10 of 1961 within the respective area; or

3. letter of evidence of ownership right which was issued under the relevant Swapraja (autonomous region) Regulation; or

4. certificate of ownership which was issued by the Regulation of Minister of Agrarian Number 9 of 1959; or

5. certificate of ownership right from the authorized officer, either before or since the enactment of Agrarian Law, which is not followed by the obligation to register the given rights, but it has fulfilled all the obligation which mentioned in it; or

6. the private deed of transfer of rights that was given mark of testimony by Adat Chief/Head of the Village/Kelurahan which was made before this enactment of this Government Regulation (GR No. 24/1997); or

7. deed of transfer of land right which was made by PPAT, of which land has never been recorded; or

8. deed of waqaf oath/letter of waqaf oath which was made before or since the implementation of the Government Regulation Number 28 of 1977; or

9. the minutes of the auction which was made by an authorized Auction Officer, of which land has not been recorded; or

10. the appointment letter or the purchase of land plot for replacement of land that was taken by Government or Local Government; or

11. petuk Tax on land/Landrente, girik, pipil, kekitir and Verponding Indonesia prior to the enactment of Government Regulation Number 10 of 1961; or

12. an information letter of land history which has been made by the Land and Building Tax Service Office; or

13. the other form of any written evidence with any other name as also referred in Article II, VI and VII convertible provisions of Agrarian Law.

If, the written evidence of the land ownership is not complete or no is longer available, the verification of ownership shall be performed with the witness’s testimony or statement considered as reliable in the opinion of Adjudication Committee or the Head of Land Office. What is meant by the witness is a person who is competent to give testimony and knows about that ownership of land.

In the condition of the unavailability of evidence instruments as mentioned above, then Article 24 of paragraph (2) of GR. No. 24/1997, provide a solution by replacing the unavailability of the evidence of land ownership with the evidence of physical control for a period of 20 (twenty) years or more in a row by the applicant and its predecessors, with the following conditions:

a. that the possession and the usage of the related land was conducted explicitly and in a good faith for 20 years or more in a row.

b. that the fact of the possession and the usage of land is so long as there is no claim and, therefore it is considered to be recognized and justified by the relevant adat community or village/kelurahan;

c. that those things are strengthened by the testimony of people who is trustworthy;

d. that it has been given the opportunity for other party to file an objection though the announcement;

e. that has been conducted a research on the truth of the issues as mentioned above;

f. that finally the conclusions on the status of land and its right holder is formulated in a decision of recognition of related right by Adjudication Committee on systematic land registration and by Chief of the Land Office on sporadic land Registration.

The provision of Article 76 paragraph (3) of the Regulations of State Minister of Agrarian/ Head of National Land Board Number 3 of 1997 on the Implementation of Government Regulation Number 24 of 1997 on Land Registration (“Regulation of State Minister of Agrarian No. 3/1997”) regulates further about the evidences of the land ownership which is not available, as stated in Article 24 paragraph (2) of GR No. 24/1997.

The application must be submitted with the following attachments:

1.) statement letter from the applicant stating the following matters:

a. that the applicant has clearly possessed the relevant land for 20 years or more in a row, or has obtained its possession from party or others parties which have possessed it, so that the period of applicant and the predecessor possession is totally 20 years or more.

b. that the possession of the land has been conducted in a good faith;

c. that the possession has never been claimed and therefore it considered to be recognized and justified by the related adat community or village/kelurahan;

d. that the current land does not contain matters that do not correspond with reality, the signed statement letter which stated the willingnes to be sued in front of the court by criminal or civil claim if providing false information;

2.) Information letter from the Head of Village/Urban Village (Lurah) which usually known as Letter of Land Information and at least 2 (two) witnesses whose its testimony can be trusted, because of its function as a local traditional elders and/or residents who have lived in a long time in the rural/village where the relevant land located and, has no family relationship with the applicant until the second degree in both vertical and horizontal, which confirms the statement of the applicant in the Letter of Land Information above.

Verification of the old rights is usually conducted by groups of people who have not experienced modern administration and agrarian law. After the evidence of physical possession is attached to the application for land rights, and then conducted an investigation of the land as part of the land registration process, then it will be clear that the rights holders and the land has been registered and the holder of such rights have legal relationship with the land. As proof that the right holder is entitled to his or her land, the National Land Agent will issue a Certificate of Land. With the land registration and the issuance of the Certificate of Land, then legal certainty is achieved.

Sofie Widyana P.

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Adjudication of Land Registration

Definition of adjudication based on Article 1 point 8 of Government Regulation Number 24 of 1997 on Land Registration (“GR No.24/1997″) is “activity which is performed in the process of land registration for the first time, including collection and determination of the fact of the physical data and juridical data concerning one or more objects of land registration for the purposes of its registration”. Adjudication of land registration activities are special procedures performed for granting legal status of parts of land to the actual owner.

On the implementation of systematic land registration, which is generally in large-scale and massive, then to implement it, the Head of the Land Office is assisted by the Adjudication Committee that was formed specifically for that by the Minister or appointed officer, and thus the routine duties of the land office are not disrupted. In performing its duties, the Adjudication Committee is assisted by units of juridical and administrative tasks, units of collection of juridical data and units of administrative task where their duties, the composition, and the activity are regulated by the Minister.

Essentially, adjudication duties are investigation task to examine and seek for true formal evidence, that is juridical initial data which is owned by holder of land rights, and justification task, that makes determination and ratification of evidence which is already examined.

Even though, the actual duty of adjudication is actually a task of judicial institution that is to give a decision or judgment., but in the land registration, the adjudication duty is given to the government as an executive.

The adjudication of land registration activities, if managed seriously will support the acceleration of land registration and to ensure the legal certainty.

Sofie Widyana P.

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Land Registration Activity

Background

Definition of land registration in Government Regulation Number 24 of 1997 on Land Registration (“GR 24/1997”) constitutes perfection of scope of the land registration based on Article 19 paragraph (2) of Law Number 5 of 1960 on the Principles Provision of Agrarian (“Agrarian Law”) which includes; measurement, mapping, land records, registration and transfer of right of land and granting of evidence instrument of right as strong evidence.

Further provisions of land registration activities are regulated in GR 24/1997, which include:

1. Land Registration for the First Time ( Opzet or Initial Registration)

Land registration for the first time is the activity of land registration for the object of land that has not been registered based on Government Regulation Number 10 of1961 (“GR 10/1961”) or GR 24/1997. Land registration for the first time is performed through land registration systematically and sporadically. Land registration systematically is defined as activity of land registration for the first time simultaneously including all object of land registration that has not been registered in area or part of area of a rural/village (Article 1 paragraph 10 GR 24/1997). While, land registration sporadically is land registration activity for the first time concerning one or some object of land registration in area or part of area of a rural/village (Article 1 point 11 GR 24/1997).

Land registration activities for the first time, include:

a. Collecting and processing of physical data

1. Preparation of base map registration;

2. Registration of land boundary areas;

3. Measurement and mapping of land areas and making registration map;

4. Preparation of land registers;

5. Preparation of letter of measurement;

b. Evidence of rights and its records, including:

1. evidence of new rights

2. evidence of old right

c. The maintenance of land registration data activities.

d. Presentation of the general register and document

e. Activity of land registration data maintenance.

2. Maintenance of Land Registration Data Activities (Bijhouding atau Maintenance)

This is the land registration activity to adjust the physical data and juridical data in maps of registration, land register, name register, letter of measurement register, land records, and certificate with the changes that happen later on (Article 1 point 12 of GR 24/1997).

Based on Article 36 of GR 24/1997, the maintenance of land registration data is performed if there is a change of physical data or juridical data of land registration object that has been registered. Physically data changes occured if there is segregation, separation, or merging of areas of land that have been registered. Juridical data changes occured for instance if there is an encumbrance or or transfer of right over of land areas that have been registered.

The relevant right holder shall register the change of physical data or juridical data to the Land Office and the district/local city to be recorded in the book of land.

Activity of maintenance of land registration data, includes:

a. Registration of transfer and imposition of rights.

1. Transfers of right through auction;

2. Transfer of right due to inheritance;

3. Transfer of right due to merger or

consolidation or merger of limited

liability companies or cooperative;

4. Imposition of right;

5. Rejection of registration transfer and

imposition of right.

b. Registration of change of other land registration data, including:

1. Extension of the period of right of land;

2. Segregation, separation, and merging

of area of land;

3. Distribution of joint right;

4. Abolishment of right of land and ownership rights of condominium units.

5. Transfer and abolishment of mortgage;

6. Changes of land registration data based

on judgment or court decision.

7. Changes of name

Sofie Widyana P.

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Establishment of the Tenant Association of Condominium

Background

Condominium is a building built in an environment which is divided into parts that are functionally structured horizontally and vertically and consisting of units that can be owned individually and can be used separately, particularly for residence, which is completed with common equipment, common facility, and common land. In the condominium, there are private property managed by the owner himself and the common rights which should be used and managed together because it involves the common interest. Utilization and management of condominium and its environment should be arranged and conducted by the tenant association. There are some regulations on the tenant association, such as Law Number 16 of 1985 on Condominium (“Law 16/85”), Government Regulation Number 4 of 1988 on Condominium (“GR 4/88”), and Decree of State Minister of Public Housing Affairs Number 06/KPTS/BKP4N/1995 on Guidance on Making Deed of Establishment and Article of Association of Tenant Association of Condominium (“Decree”).

Tenant Association

According to Article 1 of Law 16/85, tenant association is an association which consists of tenants as its member. Article 19 of Law 16/85 states that tenants of condominium shall establish a tenant association, having the main task to regulate manage, and also to guarantee order, principle of mutual aid, and harmony based on the Indonesian personality, in order to manage the common equipment, common facility, and common land.
Tenant association, by the Law 16/85, is given the status as a legal entity with the deed of establishment and articles of association, therefore, the tenant association may act in and out on behalf of the owner, and with its authority, the tenant association shall realize the comfortability of the environment of the condominium in order. Establishment of tenant association should be executed with a deed that is legalized by Regent, Mayor Head of Region II, and especially in Jakarta, shall be legalized by the Governor Head of Special Capital City Region of Jakarta

Establishment Meeting

Refer to the Decree, it is stated that in the establishment of tenant association, firstly, the owner and/or tenant of condominium shall convene the meeting of establishment of tenant association (“Meeting”), and the result of such Meeting shall be stated in the minutes of Meeting. In the Meeting, it shall appoint some of the member/participant of the Meeting, and such member/participant shall be given the power of attorney to appear before the Notary to make all of the statements as the result of the Meeting. Furthermore, in the Meeting, without prejudice to the permission of the authorities, shall decide and arrange the article of association of the tenant association in accordance with the Decree.

On the tenant association, its membership was chosen based on the family principle by and for the member of tenant association through the general meeting of tenant association which held especially for that necessity, provided that the board of tenant association at least shall consist of a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer, and a management supervisor.

The person who can be the member of the tenant association is a legal subject who has, or use, or rent, or lease or utilize unit of condominium concerned, having status as a tenant. Establishment of tenant association is very important, because it has a main task and authority to manage and maintain the environment of the condominium, and arrange the regulation on tenancy rules. Membership of tenant association is based on the reality of occupancy, means that the person who can be a member of the tenant association are those who actually inhabit or occupy the unit of the condominium either on the basis of ownership or other legal relation. If the owner has not yet occupied, use or utilize the unit of condominium, thus, the developer becomes a member of the tenant association. If the developer of condominium is has not yet sold the entire of the units of the condominium, the developer shall act as a member of the tenant association.

Isrilitha Pratami Puteri

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Revocation of Lands Rights

Revocation of Lands Rights

Background

In order to implement the provision of the granting of rights of land in accordance with Law Number 5 of 1960 on Agrarian Principle Regulation (“Law No.5/1960”) and Government Regulation Number 40 of 1996 on Right to Cultivate, Right to Build and Right of Use of Land, the procedure of the revocation of such land rights must also be regulated, which is already set forth in Regulation of Agrarian State Minister/Head of National Land Agency Number 9 of 1999 on Procedure of Granting And Revocation of Rights of State Land and Right of Management (“Regulation”).

Revocation of Rights of Land

Point 1 letter 14 of Regulation states that revocation of land rights means the revocation of the decree of the granting of land rights or land rights certificate (“Granting Decree”) due to the administrative legal error in the issuance of such Granting Decree or in order to implement the court decision which has obtained the permanent legal power.

The revocation includes the revocation of: (a) decree of the granting of land rights; (b) certificate of land rights; and (c) decree of the granting of rights in order to regulate the land acquisition. The revocation of land rights is conducted through the decree of Minister who is responsible in agrarian/land field (“Minister”). Minister may delegate such revocation to the Head of Regional Office of National Land Agency, which is the National Land Agency Office for the provincial level (“Regional Office”) or to the appointed officer.

Revocation

1. Revocation of land rights due to administrative legal error

According to Article 107 of Regulation, the administrative legal error means (i) procedural errors, (ii) error implementation of laws and regulations, (iii) error of the subject of rights, (iv) error of the object of rights, (v) error of the type of rights, (vi) error of area calculation, (vii) there is overlap of land rights, (viii) juridical or physical data is incorrect, or (ix) other administrative legal errors.

The decree of revocation of land rights due to administrative legal error in its issuance may be conducted due to (i) the application from the party in interest or (ii) the authorized officer without application. The revocation of land rights due to administrative legal error through the application from the party in interest is submitted directly to the Minister or the appointed officer through the Head or Land Office, which is the National Land Agency for the district/city level (“Land Office”). Meanwhile, the revocation of land rights without application by the authorized officer is conducted if it is found that there is legal error in the issuance process of the Granting Decree without an application.

2. Revocation of land rights due to the court’s decision

The decree of the revocation of land rights due to the implementation of court’s decision which has obtained permanent legal power shall be issued through the application of the party in interest, provided that such application is submitted directly to the Minister or Head of Regional Office or through the Land Office.

Procedure of Revocation of Land Rights

There are some processes in the procedure of revocation of land rights, as follows:

1. Land Office

The revocation application is submitted in writing to the Minister through the Head of Land Office having the work area within the location of the land concerned, and enclosed with documents, such as: (i) copy of identity card and nationality (if the applicant is individual) or copy of deed of establishment (if the applicant is a legal entity); (ii) copy of the Granting Decree and/or certificate of land concerned; (iii) other documents related to the revocation application.
After the application is received, the Head of Land Office shall: (i) inspect and examine the completeness of the juridical and physical data; (ii) record in a form; (iii) provide a receipt of the application; (iv) notify the applicant to complete the juridical and physical data if necessary.
2. Regional Office

In the event that the revocation application is delegated to the Head of Regional Office, the Head of Regional Office shall record it in a certain form and inspect and examine the completeness of the juridical and physical data, and if it is not completed yet, shall request the Head of Land Office concerned to complete the documents.
In the event that the revocation application is delegated to the Head of Regional Office, the Head of Regional Office issue the decree of revocation of land rights or decree of rejection along with the reason.
3. Minister

After receiving the revocation application, the Minister orders the competent officer to inspect and examine the completeness of the juridical and physical data, and if it is not completed yet, shall request the applicant to complete the documents and record it in a certain form.
Minister will decide such application by issuing the decree of revocation of land rights or decree of rejection along with the reason.

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Law on Housing and Habitation

On 12 January 2011, the Government issued the Law Number 1 of 2011 on Housing and Habitation (“Housing Law”). By the issuance of this law, the existed law on housing Number 4 of 1992 has been revoked. This new Housing Law is divided into 2 (two) parts i.e. housing and habitation. The purpose of this Housing Law is to fulfill the public needs for housing.

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