Land owners have 'nothing to fear'

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has assured owners of idle land they have nothing to fear if they allow needy farmers to cultivate the plots for additional income, a minister said yesterday.

Soeharto pointed out that farmers and unemployed workers could grow corn, soybeans or other crops on the land, which would be returned to the owners as soon as the country's economy recovers.

"The President said that the land cultivation was only temporary due to our country's economic situation," State Minister of Public Housing and Settlement Akbar Tandjung said after meeting with Soeharto at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Akbar said the owners of the land, which primarily belongs to property developers, supported the government's initiative to help needy people and had no objection to their land being used by farmers.

However, they were concerned about the possibility of future disputes over the ownership of the land, Akbar noted.

State Minister of Agrarian Affairs Ary Mardjono disclosed last month that there were at least 49,000 hectares of unused land in Greater Jakarta alone.

Ary pointed out that farmers could cultivate the land under the guidance of local cooperatives and that they would only be allowed to plant fast-growing crops.

Land owners are expected to allow poor people to use the land for at least one year and to notify farmers in advance if they plan to develop the land, Ary said. (prb)