After 21-Year Wait, State Finally Grants Land Certificates to 441 Transmigrant Families in Simeulue, Aceh
The 21-year wait has finally ended for hundreds of transmigrant families in Simeulue Regency, Aceh. A total of 441 families have now officially received their Freehold Title certificates (SHM) through the Trans Tuntas programme run by the Ministry of Transmigration.
The certificates were handed over at the Transmigration Settlement Unit (UPT) 1 Latiung, Simeulue Regency, on Sunday, 19 July 2026. Minister of Transmigration M. Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara participated in the event via video link as he was attending a Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace on Monday, 20 July 2026.
Iftitah stressed that legal certainty over land ownership is a crucial foundation for developing advanced transmigration areas and improving community welfare. “For us, a land certificate is not just a document. A certificate represents legal certainty, peace of mind, and economic capital for the people,” Iftitah stated, as quoted on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.
He noted that SHM ownership not only provides legal protection for transmigrant communities but also opens up access to financing and increases the economic value of assets, while giving owners a sense of security. Iftitah also expressed his appreciation to the transmigrants who have built their lives and developed the transmigration area in Simeulue. He assessed that the success of transmigration development is measured not only by the availability of land but also by the state’s presence in guaranteeing the people’s rights.
The 441 SHM certificates issued consist of 350 plots in the Latiung Transmigration Area and 91 plots in UPT Sigulai, Selaut Transmigration Area. Of these, 226 certificates were handed over symbolically to the beneficiaries, while the remaining 215 certificates will be distributed gradually through a door-to-door mechanism to ensure all recipients obtain their rights.
Simeulue Regent Muhammad Nasrun Mikaris welcomed the completion of the land certification. He stated that legal certainty over land is a fundamental need for transmigrant communities who have long settled and built their lives in the region. “We symbolically handed over 15 certificates. God willing, the remaining certificates will be distributed to the community outside of this event,” Nasrun said.
During the occasion, it was also revealed that several SHM certificates in UPT Sigulai, which were issued in 2018, could not yet be handed over. This was due to discrepancies between the data on the certificates and the actual field conditions, necessitating further boundary demarcation and land consolidation.