Living on Shifting Sands

(12/19/2010)

NusaBali reports that the residents of Serangan island are seeking legal title on the reclaimed land they now occupy. Their efforts to clarify ownership status is complicated by the fact that PT Turtle Island Development Corporation (BTID) who held responsibility for the development lands on the island has reportedly been declared bankrupt, further complicating any effort to clarify the status of land titles on the subject lands.

On Tuesday, December 14, 2010, a committee representing the island residents met with the administrator in charge for BTID while under receivership. At that meeting, the citizens sought clarification of their land status while at the same time seeking the commitment of the municipal government of Denpasar to pay attention to the fate of the families now living on the contested reclaimed land.

The Administrator of BTID has admitted that it is highly problematic to handle the request for title clarification from the families living on Serangan island. He told NusaBali that it has been difficult to obtain documents related to the land from the government who have apparently resisted providing this data.

Jurvin Siagian who together with Egga Indraguna, is acting as administrator (curator) for the BTID project said: "This data is important to the curator as authentic proof including determining property boundaries on the land occupied by local citizens. The National Land Agency (BPN) and government are making it very difficult to obtain land certificate information."

The curators are, in fact, fully empowered by the courts in helping to resolve a bankruptcy case. In that capacity, Jurvin is trying to contact the BPN and Denpasar municipality to get information on the subject land. Jurvin said: "If we continue to face difficulties, we will certainly take legal steps. It is our responsibility to complete our responsibilities in the bankruptcy of BTID until a final auction of assets."