Measuring the Land Mafia in Indonesia: New Phenomenon of Extraordinary Crime

Abstract

The recent actions of the land mafia in Indonesia, especially after the implementation of reforms, have increased significantly in the land sector, including individuals and many government institutions, disrupting the investment entry process and economic growth. This study aims to know and explore the idiosyncrasies of the land mafia’s modus operandi in Indonesia and its causes and factors, in addition to the official stance of the Indonesian government on eradicating the land mafia. This socio-legal research is descriptive and analytical. It provides a general picture of such idiosyncrasies: forgery of land papers, collusion with unscrupulous officials, fictitious buying and selling, fraud or embezzlement, and the seeking of legality in court. The causes of the land mafia’s emergence are the land’s high economic value, unintegrated land administration, a lack of unique proof of land rights, the land registration system’s negative publication, and weak law enforcement. Meanwhile, the factors that contribute to the land mafia consolidation are corruption and political connections, the absence of proper regulation, development still depending on investment, the loyalty of capital owners and capitalism, land speculation, social and economic inequality, urban growth and infrastructure development, and a lack of legal awareness. The official stance of the Indonesian government toward eradicating the land mafia is the formation of the Anti-Land Mafia Task Force, which is generally responsible for investigating, disclosing, and cracking down on land mafia practices that harm the community. The idiosyncrasies, causes, and factors of the rise of the land mafia and the government’s official stance on eradicating the land mafia are inseparable from changes in Indonesia’s economic, legal, political, and socio-cultural climate.