Understanding Sultan Ground: Land in DIY Prohibited from Being Sold or Purchased

Sultan Ground is a term referring to land owned by the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. This designation originates from the Dutch term Sultanaat Grond, which has become popularly used in society to this day. The land, also known as Kagungan Dalem, forms part of the special privileges held by the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). In this context, the Sultanate possesses special rights to regulate, manage, and determine the utilisation of such lands. Regulations concerning Sultanate Land have been outlined in several legal instruments. One of them is stipulated in Yogyakarta Governor Regulation (Pergub) No. 33 of 2017. It states that Sultanate Land or Sultan Ground is land owned by the Sultanate, encompassing Keprabon Land and Non-Keprabon Land or Dede Keprabon, which are scattered across all regencies and cities in the DIY region. Keprabon land itself consists of areas used for the primary interests of the palace, such as the palace complex, Pagelaran, Kraton, Sripanganti, and the royal burial sites in Kotagede, Imogiri, and Giriloyo. In addition, it includes the town square, mosque, Taman Sari, pesanggrahan, and petilasan sites. Meanwhile, non-Keprabon land is divided into two categories. First, land utilised by communities or institutions based on certain rights, such as magersari, ngindung, right of use, forest areas, campuses, or hospitals. Second, land used by communities without an official right basis. The Sultanate holds full authority in managing and utilising Sultanate Land, with the primary aim of supporting cultural development, social interests, and public welfare. In this regard, any other parties wishing to utilise the land must obtain permission from the Sultanate, as regulated in Article 33. The Panitikisma Sub-District is part of the Hageng Punakawan Datu Dana Suyasa Sub-District, which manages the Sultanate’s assets and is led by Penghageng GKR Mangkubumi. As a palace agrarian institution, Panitikisma is responsible for regulating various aspects related to Sultanate Land, from supervising usage to administrative management.