Business & investment
East Sumba could issue NTT's first customary land certificate
Three customary communities have applied for communal land titles at the East Sumba land office. One file is nearly finished.
Three customary law communities in East Sumba have applied for communal land certificates at the regency's land office (ATR/BPN), Deputy Regent Yonathan Hani said, as reported by Waingapu.Com on 7 November 2026. One file is nearly complete; if issued, it could be the first customary land certificate in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). No certificate has been issued yet.
- 3 customary communities (masyarakat hukum adat) have applied for communal land certificates in East Sumba.
- One of the 3 files is nearly complete, according to Deputy Regent Yonathan Hani.
- It could be the first customary land certificate in NTT; none has been issued yet.
- Outgoing land office head Kuntoro Hadi Saputra pushed the process; Danial Imanuel Liunesi carries it on.
- The customary institution must be organised and formally recognised, and its territorial rights clearly defined.
WAINGAPU — Three customary law communities (masyarakat hukum adat) in East Sumba are applying for communal certificates over their land at the regency's land office (ATR/BPN), Deputy Regent Yonathan Hani said on Friday evening, according to a Waingapu.Com report published on Saturday 7 November. One of the three files is nearly complete, he said. If that certificate is issued, it could be the first customary land certificate in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
Who is pushing the customary land certificates
He spoke at a farewell for the outgoing head of the East Sumba land office, Kuntoro Hadi Saputra, who is moving to the West Manggarai office and who pushed the process forward. His successor, Danial Imanuel Liunesi, now carries it on.
What a communal land certificate requires
According to the report, the process requires the customary institution to be organised and formally recognised, and the community's rights over its territory to be clearly defined. No certificate has been issued yet.
What it means
Land on Sumba is often subject to customary claims, and unclear titles can lead to disputes. Formal communal certificates would make it clearer who holds rights over an area. Anyone planning to lease land, build or invest on the island should follow how these first files are handled.
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