Depok, The INDONESIAN— A land dispute over a 1,920-square-meter plot currently occupied by SDN Utan Jaya, a public elementary school in Depok, West Java, has officially entered the legal arena.
The family of the late H. Namit bin Sairan, represented by their legal counsel from REWP Law Firm, asserts that the land rightfully belongs to them. Since 1967, the property has been used for educational purposes yet, according to the family, the government has continued to occupy it without providing any form of compensation.
In 1967, the late H. Namit and his family built a private school named SD Utan Jaya on their own land located in Kampung Utan Jaya, Depok (Persil 156 Blok 15 No. C-648/2310).
For years, the school operated successfully, with revenue sharing agreed upon between the school management and the landowners.
However, beginning in 1983, the school’s status was allegedly changed unilaterally. The then-principal reportedly converted the school into a public elementary school (Sekolah Dasar Negeri Utan Jaya) without the owners’ consent. Around 1990, another public school SDN Pondok Terong 2 was placed in the same building by local authorities.
The conflict escalated in 1995, when an official government signboard was installed, declaring it a state school again without notification or permission from the Namit family.
The Namit family repeatedly sought clarification on the land takeover. As a supposed form of “compensation,” they were promised government civil servant (ASN) positions a promise that was never fulfilled, leaving the family disillusioned and frustrated.
The dispute deepened following the 1999 administrative division that separated Depok from Bogor Regency. In 2001, during the asset handover from Bogor Regency to the newly formed Depok City, SDN Utan Jaya was listed as a transferred asset under the notation “Segel Jual Beli” (Sale Deed).
However, according to the plaintiffs, no sale or agreement was ever made between their family and any government entity. They argue that this documentation was falsified and used to justify the unlawful transfer of ownership.
Since the early 2000s, the family has continuously sought an amicable solution with Depok City Government officials. In 2010, they even proposed reverting the school’s status back to private, but were instead urged to donate the land to the government. The family strongly rejected the idea, deeming it unfair and contrary to both legal logic and social justice.
To make matters worse, in 2018, the Depok City Government merged two public schools under the name SDN Utan Jaya, further strengthening suspicions of unauthorized control over the disputed property.
Through their attorneys at REWP Law Firm, the heirs have now filed a lawsuit against the Depok City Government, the school principal, and other involved parties, accusing them of committing an Unlawful Act (Perbuatan Melawan Hukum).
The lawsuit, filed at the Depok District Court, demands that the judges:
- Declare that the 1,920 m² of land in Kampung Utan Jaya rightfully belongs to the plaintiffs.
- Declare that the occupation and use of the land by the defendants constitute an Unlawful Act.
- Order the defendants to vacate and return the land to its rightful owners unconditionally.
- Order the defendants to pay:
- Material damages of IDR 5,000,000,000 (five billion rupiah).
- Non-material damages of IDR 3,000,000,000 (three billion rupiah).
- Subsidarily, should the government wish to purchase the land currently used for the school (1,500 m²), the plaintiffs are requesting compensation of IDR 20,000,000,000 (twenty billion rupiah).
Beyond Property A Fight for Dignity and Justice
This case, the plaintiffs stress, is not merely about land ownership but about justice and the dignity of ordinary citizens.
The late H. Namit’s family were simple people who acted in good faith to build a school for the community. Yet their generosity, they claim, was repaid with deception and unlawful appropriation.
“How could a poor family willingly donate their only valuable asset to the government without any compensation? This is not charity — it is coercion disguised as public interest,”
said a spokesperson from REWP Law Firm.
They hope that the Depok District Court will deliver a ruling that upholds truth, fairness, and the rule of law.
A Reflection on Legal Protection and State Accountability
The SDN Utan Jaya case serves as a stark reminder of the weak legal protection for citizens’ property rights in Indonesia and a warning against the state’s tendency to claim community assets under the guise of “public interest.”
As the legal team emphasized:
“We do not oppose education we oppose injustice. Let the school continue to stand, but never by trampling on the rights of the people.
This land does not belong to the state; it belongs to the family of H. Namit. Justice must prevail.”
Media Editorial Team: Representatives of PRIME NEWS POST Journalists/ Media Editor: Hary.S
