JAKARTA – Numbers of people from Sumedang Regency, West Java, escalating their complain to The Chairman of The House of Regional Representative of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI), AA LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti, about the lands taken over in regard with a toll road construction.
The existing issue lies on the incomplete payment process. The fact that the land to which had been prepared for the construction of toll road will no longer be used to for the construction purpose.
“The Toll road construction over our land was dismissed. The toll road constructions have been diverted to different locations which have been started since 2008,” said one resident, Yayat, during an audience with the Chairman of the DPD RI at his residence, in Kuningan area, South Jakarta, Sunday (20/3).
Colleagues standing together with Yayat on that occasion were Deden Hidayat, Dudi Abdullah, Tommy and Darmawan.
Feeling reluctant, the residents had no idea to sell their land. Thereafter, Team Seven stepped in, claimed to be the people’s behalf and sold their land for the purpose of the construction of a toll road.
“Never have we been given such authority or to approve “Team Seven”, however without notice, our land was traded. Means of forced payments conducted. Should we not accept it, both our land and the compensation will be lost” said Yayat.
Leaving the residents puzzled, including Yayat. Eventually, 400 families chose to give up their lands rather than earning nothing.
“A 61 hectares area. Approximately 46 billion rupiahs in total for 400 families. IDR. 1,260 million rupiahs was the highest pinpoint of the paid land. Several others were paid IDR. 900 thousand rupiahs, and the other was paid IDR. 750 thousand rupiahs. I received as much as IDR 10 million over 822 meters of my own land,” he said.
Prior to the extent, during the filing process, Yayat continued, the Land Expansion Committee (P2T) disallowed the residents to read the contents of the letter and to directly request the residents with the sign.
“We are to accept an installment payment method, some installments were even paid in a year. They said if we hold too much money, we will be robbed,” he explained.
Unfortunately, every time a payment is made, deduction was done by Team Seven on operational reasons basis.
Followed by other residents, Yayat have taken many ways into account in struggling for their rights. Nevertheless, to this point their efforts were to no avail.
“At this moment, both have been well addressed, the Local Government (Pemda) and the West Java Regional Police. But three years has passed and no progress since then. The same concern has also been addressed to the National Human Rights Commission,” he said.
Raising the issue, Yayat and his friends are hoping that The Chairman of DPD RI could come up with a solution.
“We believe that Mr. LaNyalla is the right person in finding a solution to the problem. That’s what we have come here for,” Yayat said, followed by his colleagues.
Responding to the aspirations, the Chairman of the DPD RI made rapid movements. He immediately scheduled a site visit and met with the residents as well as other related stakeholders.
“Tomorrow, I will immediately schedule a working visit to attain further detailed information from the residents and also other related stakeholders. As a result of our working visit, the President along with relevant Ministries will receive our forward regarding this issue too,” said LaNyalla.
Raising his concern to the issue and also to the residents. LaNyalla to mark what happened to the residents in Sumedang is not the only case of disputes between the community and the state in terms of toll road construction.
“To this end, we are concerned about this incident. None of this event should have occurred. The state is to be with the people. Here I remark, we do need development. But not the development that is getting rid of people away, to dislocate them and to avoid from their local culture,” said LaNyalla.
