PKS asks for land regulation review

JAKARTA: The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) demanded on Friday that the government revise a controversial presidential regulation on land, warning of possible social upheaval.

Secretary of the party's faction at the House of Representatives Mahfudz Siddiq said public opposition to the regulation had been growing and House Commission II on domestic affairs had supported the demand for a revision to the regulation.

"The government should revise the regulation. Don't wait until a social upheaval breaks out," Mahfudz said.

He suggested that the changes be focused on articles that were open to interpretation and therefore were likely to be abused. Some articles in the regulation also contradict the law on land, Mahfudz said.

PKS faction has so far recorded 1,148 land disputes involving people and state institutions or companies, some of which have claimed lives. -- JP