Land owners have 'nothing to fear'

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)