PRIME NEWS POST
Labuan Bajo – Controversy over alleged state land grabs has resurfaced in Labuan Bajo Village, Komodo District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The area has been designated by the central government as a super-premium tourism zone.
The public is now questioning the stance of law enforcement officials and the local government, who are deemed to have not taken firm action despite the issue affecting the broader community’s future interests.
“The disputed land is not ordinary terrain. It was once earmarked for the construction of the Manggarai Fisheries School,” said a source in Keranga, Labuan Bajo, NTT, when contacted on Thursday (April 2, 2026).
According to the source, the initiative – launched during the leadership of the late Gasper P. Ehok (former Regent of Manggarai) – was intended as a long-term investment for coastal youth in NTT.
“But that plan has now vanished. Instead of becoming a maritime vocational education center, the land is linked to the construction of the luxury St. Regis Labuan Bajo Hotel – a prestigious project said to involve major businesspeople and influential figures,” they added.
Public Question: Who Benefits?
Public suspicion has grown amid allegations of “neglect” by several institutions, from the local government to law enforcement. A fundamental question arises: have investment interests outweighed the people’s interests?
Several sources mention controversial statements from a businessman named Erwin Santosa Kadiman, who is allegedly involved in the St. Regis Labuan Bajo hotel project.
During a conversation in Ubud, Bali, some time ago with a lawyer representing victims of a 11-hectare land grab in Keranga, Labuan Bajo, Kadiman Santoso reportedly dismissed efforts to defend small communities and even allegedly offered “case compensation” to certain parties.
“Santosa Kadiman, also known as Erwin Bebek, told one of the lawyers in Bali: ‘Why defend poor people? It’s better to defend me – the St. Regis Labuan Bajo hotel businessman – and later I’ll give you other disputed land cases,’” said the anonymous source to the media.
This statement is not just an ethical issue but also indicates practices that warrant serious investigation.
Groundbreaking Amid Dispute
The controversy deepened after the hotel project’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 21, 2022. However, according to various sources, the land’s status remains in dispute at the Labuan Bajo District Court and lacks complete legal documentation, including land title certificates.
This fact is even said to have been part of findings by the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic of Indonesia.
Ironically, the 2022 event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including then-NTT Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat and West Manggarai Regent Edistasius Endi. Their presence has only raised more questions among the public.
Alleged Expansion of Land Conflicts
This case is not isolated. The same businessman (Erwin Santosa Kadiman) is also named in alleged takeovers of other plots in Labuan Bajo, including a 3,500-square-meter area near the Taman Laut Restaurant in Labuan Bajo.
This strengthens suspicions of a systematic pattern in seizing strategic land in a region now attracting national and international investment.
Future at Stake
Most concerning is that this conflict is not just about law and investment – it is about the future.
The planned fisheries school was set to be a gateway for West Manggarai youth to access education based on local potential. In archipelagic regions like NTT, maritime education is not just an option but a necessity.
When the project was sidelined for commercial interests, the community felt they lost more than just land – they lost hope.
Calls for Law Enforcement
Criticism has intensified. Communities part of groups advocating for state land protection and justice are urging the local government, National Land Agency, and law enforcement to stop being passive.
Transparency, fair law enforcement, and prioritization of public interests are the main demands. If not addressed, this case could set a dangerous precedent for land governance in super-premium tourism zones like Labuan Bajo.
Amid ambitions to make Labuan Bajo a world-class destination, one fundamental question lingers: will development remain on the people’s side, or will it push them aside?
Source: Media Investigation|| @Reported from various media sources //photo from Google documents // contribution by Prime News Post international online media // news.paper
