Having an SHM Doesn't Guarantee Security

Thursday afternoon, 12 February 2026, was a moment Sri Marwini and her husband Suyadi will never forget. The house they had saved for years to buy was forcibly vacated following a court execution. The Surakarta District Court carried out the eviction with police security, removing all belongings of the elderly couple from the property. Marwini and Suyadi could only watch as their long-time home was emptied against their will. Even until the last moment, Suyadi tried to defend the house he believed was legally purchased and held a Certificate of Freehold Ownership (SHM).

Marwini believes she and her husband are victims of land mafia practices. She said the issue has persisted since 2014 and is riddled with irregularities. “There’s likely collusion (land mafia). I’m also puzzled how the SHM could be revoked,” Marwini stated while recounting the forced eviction, quoted on 29 May 2026.

Marwini explained the problem began in 2013 when Suyadi became interested in buying a house owned by Subarno, a Laweyan resident who was the original owner and occupant. Before the transaction, Suyadi sought a notary’s assistance to verify the land’s legality at the Surakarta National Land Agency (BPN) office.

“We were initially offered the house by Subarno; we didn’t know him well. I’d long wanted a house in Solo City, and we had enough savings at the time,” Marwini said when contacted.

“After seeing the house, my husband, once he liked it, bought it immediately without haggling. We consulted a notary and checked with the BPN, who confirmed no issues, so we proceeded with the sale,” she added.

After the agreement, the sale deed was executed before a notary. The SHM application was then submitted to the Surakarta BPN. Marwini noted that before the SHM was issued in 2013, BPN officers conducted two checks on the land status and declared no problems. After the sale process was completed and the SHM was issued in Suyadi’s name, the family moved into the house in early 2014.