The House of Representatives Urges the Minister of ATR/BPN to Increase Taxes
Deddy Sitorus, a member of Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the PDI-P faction, urged the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, to impose high taxes on 60 wealthy families who control most of the certified land in Indonesia.
Deddy believes that these families are already so wealthy that they have been around for “70 generations,” so the government needs to take decisive action through tax instruments for the sake of social justice.
“I think the taxes must be raised properly, Sir. They are already quite wealthy; it’s time for the state to take action and distribute it to the people. We must not let it happen like the case in Pati yesterday, where the PBB (land tax) was raised arbitrarily, which only caused chaos,” Deddy said during a meeting between Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Ministry of ATR/BPN at the DPR Building, Senayan, on Monday (September 8, 2025).
Deddy appreciated Nusron’s bold move to disclose data on land ownership. However, he emphasized that the government should not stop at mere statements, as this could fuel feelings of agrarian injustice among the public.
“If the information shows that land in this republic is controlled by 60 people, demonstrate that justice, not only through agrarian reform, but also through higher taxes. It’s time for the state to intervene,” he said.
Previously, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, revealed that approximately 48 percent of the 55.9 million hectares of certified land in Indonesia are controlled by just 60 families. According to him, ownership of this land can be traced through the companies operating within it.
“If you track the beneficial ownership, it turns out that only 60 families own it. And thank God, not a single one is from the Indonesian Muslim Student Association (PMII),” said Nusron on a separate occasion in South Jakarta on July 13, 2025.
Nusron believes this condition is the root of structural poverty in Indonesia, a result of misguided past policies.
“This is the problem in Indonesia, the cause of economic inequality. People are poor not because they are incapable, but because of unfair policies,” he said.
He emphasized that President Prabowo Subianto had mandated that the principles of justice, equality, and sustainability be implemented in land policies. However, Nusron did not specify the 60 families in question.
