Bamsoet Says New Criminal Code Strengthens Efforts to Eradicate Land Mafia
House of Representatives member Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet) has said the enactment of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code (KUHP) opens a new chapter in efforts to eradicate land mafia. According to him, land mafia practices have long been one of the most detrimental forms of crime to society.
Bamsoet explained that the land mafia issue remains a serious threat to legal certainty and the national investment climate. In recent years, the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) has uncovered hundreds of land mafia cases spread across various regions.
The modus operandi used has become increasingly complex, ranging from forgery of certificates, powers of attorney, and inheritance documents, to manipulation of administrative data involving various parties. The impact not only causes economic losses worth billions of rupiah but also triggers social conflict and undermines public trust in the national legal and land administration system.
Bamsoet assessed that the new Criminal Code provides stronger legal instruments to tackle various land crime modus operandi. These range from forgery of land documents and authentic deeds to the practice of inserting false statements into official documents, which have long been used by land mafia networks to unlawfully seize public assets.
"The new Criminal Code provides a stronger legal foundation to tackle various land crimes. Although it does not specifically use the term ‘land mafia’, various articles concerning document forgery, forgery of authentic deeds, and false statements in authentic deeds can be effective instruments to ensnare perpetrators who have been exploiting administrative loopholes in land affairs," Bamsoet said in a statement on Saturday (13/6/2026).
He made the remarks while teaching a course on ‘National Legal Reform’ for the Doctoral Programme in Law at Borobudur University, online from Bali, on Saturday (13/6/2026).
Bamsoet explained that one of the biggest challenges in eradicating the land mafia is the perpetrators’ ability to disguise crimes through documents that appear formally valid. Many cases show that land certificates, sale and purchase deeds, and other transfer documents were issued based on rights that actually contained elements of forgery or false statements.
According to him, this condition makes the evidentiary process far more complicated because law enforcement must dismantle the chain of events from the initial stage of document issuance.
"Land crimes do not occur when the certificate is issued. The crime usually begins at the initial stage through identity forgery, document manipulation, or false statements. When a fake document passes the verification process, all subsequent stages can produce legal products that appear valid but are fundamentally problematic," Bamsoet said.
The Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party stated that eradicating the land mafia must use a ‘follow the document and follow the benefit’ approach. This means law enforcement must not only examine the documents used in transactions but also trace who gained the greatest benefit from the practice.
He added that experience shows the main actors of the land mafia often do not appear as the signatories of documents, but hide behind intermediaries, proxies, or other parties deliberately used as legal shields.
"Law enforcement must be able to reach the intellectual actors and those who enjoy the proceeds of crime. The land mafia will never truly disappear if only field operatives are prosecuted, while the main controllers and those who enjoy the greatest benefits remain free," Bamsoet said.
Bamsoet stressed that the effectiveness of the new Criminal Code is not solely determined by the available articles. Success in eradicating the land mafia also depends on synergy between the police, prosecutors, courts, the Ministry of ATR/BPN, local governments, notaries, land deed officials (PPAT), the Population and Civil Registration Agency (Dukcapil), and other relevant institutions.
Without strong coordination, Bamsoet said, case resolution often fragments into separate criminal, civil, administrative, and ethical disputes, making it difficult for victims to obtain comprehensive justice.
"Law enforcement against the land mafia must be carried out in an integrated manner. Prosecuting perpetrators is important, but what is more important is ensuring victims’ rights can be restored and the legal status of problematic land can be returned to its proper legal condition," Bamsoet explained.
Bamsoet added that digitalisation of land services, integration of population data, multi-layered verification systems, use of geospatial technology, land blockchain, and utilisation of artificial intelligence to detect document anomalies can be important instruments to close vulnerable points in land mafia practices.
These steps will strengthen the government’s efforts to realise a land system that is transparent, accountable, and capable of providing maximum protection for people’s rights.
"With a combination of criminal law reform, land administration reform, digital transformation, and cross-institutional coordination, Indonesia is expected to build a cleaner, more transparent, and more equitable land system. The government must be able to ensure that every inch of land owned by the public is protected by strong legal certainty and cannot be easily seized through document manipulation or abuse of authority," Bamsoet concluded.