North Penajam Paser. Residents of North Penajam Paser Regency affected by the construction of the airport and toll road in the future national capital, Nusantara, have received compensation for their crops and land through the agrarian reform program.

Both projects cover approximately 400 hectares of land in the regency in East Kalimantan.

Landowner Harto, one of the beneficiaries who received Rp 357 million in compensation for his crops, expressed his satisfaction with the solutions provided by the Land Bank Agency, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Public Works.

“At first, there were rumors that there would be no compensation, and we were told that our land would be seized. But after the process continued, we received word from the Land Bank Agency that there would be compensation for both the land and the crops, and we accepted it,” Harto said in a statement.

He said the arrival of the Land Bank Agency initially faced protests from the community. However, regular meetings and information-sharing efforts conducted by the Land Bank Agency with the residents led to positive outcomes.

Similarly, Eko Rahman from Gersik Village, North Penajam Paser, shared the same sentiment. He said that at first, residents were anxious about the announcement boards put up by the Land Bank Agency without prior notification, fearing that their land would be confiscated by the government.

"It turned out not as we feared. The residents are happy to receive compensation for the crops. We never expected our land to become part of the Nusantara Airport. We in Gersik, Jenebora, and Pantai Lango are happy. We never imagined that an airport and a city would be built here," he said.

Eko added that he received compensation for crops valued at over Rp 40 million, part of which he used for his children's education and his wife’s needs.

“We are looking forward to the future for our children and grandchildren. If the compensation is taken fully, we will lose our land. The land is getting more expensive,” he added.

He said the Land Bank Agency has always communicated with the community in a persuasive manner.

“There was no intimidation. The Land Bank Agency has a good relationship with the community. It’s as if they are providing solutions so that the land becomes the people’s property,” he concluded.

The agrarian reform was managed by the Land Bank Agency will be carried out in stages. Stage I will focus on communities affected by the construction of the Nusantara Airport and toll road, or Section 5B of Nusantara.

The Head of the Land Bank Agency, Parman Nataatmadja, said that since the acceleration of the agrarian reform program began in the first year of President Joko Widodo’s administration, it has been mandated that all beneficiaries must manage the Agrarian Reform Objects optimally and productively. The Land Bank Agency has been tasked with providing at least 30 percent of land for agrarian reform and is committed to fulfilling this responsibility to the best of its ability.

The Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Ministry has also allocated 1,873 hectares of land for agrarian reform purposes in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, under the management of the Land Bank Agency.

"This is a responsibility we must fulfill as the government's extension in the agrarian sector, not just a promise. We want the beneficiaries to manage the Agrarian Reform Objects optimally," said Parman in a press statement on Tuesday.

Parman said the implementation of agrarian reform on the Land Bank Agency’s land concession rights is now in its final stages. The agency, in collaboration with the Ministry, continues to accelerate the process.

"There are just a few more steps before the certificates can be issued," he said.

The agrarian reform will focus on communities affected by the construction of the Nusantara Airport and toll road, or Section 5B of Nusantara, covering approximately 400 hectares.

Residents affected by the Nusantara Airport construction will not only receive land but also compensation for their crops through the Social Impact Handling Scheme. The Transportation Ministry and the Public Works Ministry are also involved in the program.

This initiative is part of the government's efforts to ensure that the development of infrastructure projects, such as the Nusantara Airport and the toll road, benefits local communities while respecting their rights to land and resources.