BALINEWSID.COM, JEMBRANA — PT BTID’s assertion that its land swap process was “clean and clear,” delivered during a recent public hearing (RDP), is facing contradictory findings on the ground. The Jembrana Land Office (BPN) revealed that efforts to reconstruct the decades-old case are hampered by incomplete records, including the missing trail of approximately 35 land certificates in Budeng Village.

Representing the company, Head of Licensing and Regulation Kundarso stated that the entire land swap process had complied with regulations in force at the time. He emphasized that all administrative and legal stages had been completed since the 1990s, backed by ministerial decrees and other supporting documents.

“All processes were carried out in accordance with the regulations of that period. We are confident there were no violations. The available data is consistent and aligned,” Kundarso said during the hearing.

BTID further claimed that all relevant documents—ranging from land boundary arrangements and location designations to official agreements—had been submitted to the authorities. The company maintains that it no longer holds authority over any subsequent processes.

However, Head of the Jembrana Land Office, I Gede Wita, disclosed a different reality. He said ongoing investigations into the land swap, which dates back decades, continue to face major obstacles due to limited and fragmented data.

“The data we have found is incomplete. Of around 35 land plots, we have not been able to confirm ownership, legal status, or whether ownership transfers have officially taken place,” he explained.

According to Wita, during the period when the transactions occurred, land administration systems were not yet digitized. As a result, many records exist only as manual archives, which are now difficult to trace. Preliminary findings indicate that some parcels may have been sold by local residents, and in some cases, rights may have been relinquished without complete administrative procedures.

“There is a possibility that the land was paid for and released, but we have not found official proof of ownership transfer. This is still under investigation,” he added.

The case is also linked to a land swap involving production forest areas and land in Budeng Village. However, documents related to land replacement obligations and reforestation requirements have yet to be fully located.

“Logically, those documents should exist, but until now we have not found them. The search is ongoing,” Wita stressed.

The discrepancy between BTID’s claims and BPN’s findings highlights that the case reconstruction remains incomplete. Transparency and data disclosure from all parties are seen as crucial to ensuring legal certainty and clarifying land ownership status for affected communities.

Authorities continue to focus on identifying land parcels, tracing ownership histories, and verifying the consistency between field transactions and official records as the investigation progresses.