Minister Seeks Attorney General's Help as Third Parties Control Strategic State Land

Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait has revealed that many state assets and land parcels remain controlled by third parties. He stated this condition is one of the government’s biggest challenges in accelerating housing development for the public, particularly flats in urban areas.

Maruarar, familiarly known as Ara, said the government often faces difficulties when it requires state land for housing development because the assets are already occupied by other parties.

“But with flats, we must acknowledge this is a major task. We know the land issues; I am assisted by Mr Nusron (Minister of ATR/BPN) and the Attorney General, but quite a lot of state land is still controlled by third parties. And when the state needs it to help its people, it turns out not to be very easy,” Ara said during the Signing of the Land Grant Commitment from PT Lippo Cikarang to the State at Wisma Danantara, Jakarta, Monday (29/6/2026).

“But I am grateful not to be working alone, assisted by the Attorney General, by the BPKP, by Mr Nusron, on how state land can be returned and reused by the state for its people,” he continued.

He assessed the issue is not a trivial matter. In fact, according to him, the assets controlled by third parties are precisely those with strategic value.

“I think this is also a challenge for the Minister of Finance (Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa), how many of our assets are controlled by third parties, even the strategic ones. Those who control them are formidable; they do not want to control the non-strategic ones, sir. They only want to control the strategic ones. I think, I request the Attorney General’s support, as we are experiencing challenges like these,” he said.

Amidst these challenges, Ara appreciated the move by PT Lippo Cikarang Tbk to grant Meikarta land to the state. He believes this step can serve as an example of collaboration between the government and the private sector in supporting the 3 Million Homes Programme.

“And we are grateful today that the private sector, PT Lippo Cikarang Tbk, is providing a land grant to the state. Hopefully, this can be an example for subsequent similar actions. Hopefully, this is not the first and last, but a good start to exemplify the 5th Principle, Social Justice for All Indonesian People, and mutual cooperation,” he explained.

Ara explained that the Meikarta land granted to the state is currently being processed, involving several ministries and agencies. He said cross-agency collaboration is necessary to ensure the asset has legal certainty and can be immediately utilised for subsidised flat construction.

“So, that is roughly how we, as fellow members of the Red and White Cabinet and subordinates of the President, work together across sectors, united to solve this problem. To provide certainty to the people who buy, to the banks that finance, to the developers and contractors who build, and also to the Regent of Bekasi and the West Java Provincial Government, who will later assist with the permit processing,” Ara said.

In addition to utilising the Meikarta grant land, Ara said the government will also soon begin building flats on land owned by PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) in the Kiaracondong area as part of efforts to accelerate the provision of vertical housing.

“I also report to Mr Rosan, next week Mr Doni Oskaria and I will start building on PT Kereta Api Indonesia’s land in Kiaracondong for upward flats,” he concluded.