A Sociolegal Analysis of Land Mafia Practices in Construction Projects
Publication: Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 15, Issue 3
Abstract
The term “land mafia” refers to a group of people who profit from the land law system by committing crimes such as fraud, forgery, and expropriation. This practice has been going on for a long time and has not been completely eradicated by the Indonesian government. Indeed, land disputes caused by the land mafia are becoming more frequent lately. This study aims to conduct a sociolegal analysis of land policies and land disputes involving land mafias in Indonesia. Through a synthesis of legislative statutes, applicable case law, and other documentary sources, four legal themes related to land mafia practices in Indonesia are put forth, namely land policy in Indonesia, modus operandi of land mafia, involvement of state officials, and efforts to eradicate the land mafia practices. These findings facilitate a systematic understanding of the land mafia practices. Because this practice is not unique to Indonesia, this study adds to knowledge, particularly for researchers from other countries where there is a scarcity of literature on land mafia practices. Likewise, the government can benefit from gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the land mafia practices and their impact on society and the state. As a result, they can make efforts to prevent and eradicate land mafia crimes in order to restore public order and legal certainty regarding land rights in Indonesia.
Practical Applications
This study extends limited research on the understanding of land mafia practices and their impact on the land acquisition process for construction projects in Indonesia. While this is not the only study to investigate land mafia practices, it is among the first to use a sociolegal analysis based on case law approach and other documentary sources. Existing research on land mafia in Indonesia has primarily focused on land policy and its relationship to legal protection based on that policy. Furthermore, this research investigates land mafia practices in depth, including the modus operandi, involvement of state officials, and the negative impact of this practice on society and the state. By examining the modus operandi of land mafia, this study provides the possible solutions to prevent and eradicate this practice. Theoretically, this study employs a sociolegal analysis to uncover land mafia practices that have been troubling the community and causing losses to the state.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
References
List of Cases
Ambon District Court Decision No. 11/Pid.Sus-TPK/2021/PN Amb.
Semarang High Court Decision No. 317/Pdt/2009/PT.Smg.
Slawi District Court Decision No. 01/PDT.G/2009/PN.SLW.
Supreme Court Decision No. 2883/K/Pdt/2010.
List of Statutes
Government Regulation No. 18 of 2021 concerning Management Rights, Land Rights, Flat Units, and land registration.Government Regulation No. 24 of 1997 concerning land registration.
Law No. 2 of 2012 concerning Land Acquisition for Development of the Public Interest.
Law No. 5 of 1960 concerning Basic Agrarian Principles/BAP (UUPA).
Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency No. 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases.
Presidential Regulation No. 86 of 2018 concerning agrarian reform.
Technical Instruction for the Ministry of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency No. 01/JUKNIS/D.VII/2018 concerning Prevention and Eradication of the Land Mafia (Juknis 2018).
The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.
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Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 15 • Issue 3 • August 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Nov 19, 2022
Accepted: Feb 14, 2023
Published online: Apr 22, 2023
Published in print: Aug 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Sep 22, 2023
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