Johan Rosihan Stresses Land Acquisition at Padalarang Station as a Key Prerequisite

PARLEMENTARIA, West Bandung - Commission V member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Johan Rosihan stressed that resolving land acquisition around Padalarang High-Speed Railway Station must be a priority before other development plans proceed. He said development planning cannot be carried out effectively while land ownership and acquisition issues remain unresolved.

“Planning is done on paper, but construction takes place on land. So the condition for all those good plans is that the land must be clear and clean,” Johan said at a meeting during Commission V’s specific working visit to Padalarang High-Speed Railway Station in West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Friday (November 13, 2026).

Johan was responding to the local government’s statement that it could complete the land acquisition if it received financial support. He reminded officials that the division of responsibilities between the central and regional governments must guide efforts to resolve the issue.

He also noted that the cooperation agreement (PKS) between the relevant parties had been signed in 2025. Therefore, he said, the funding needs should have been taken into account from the outset, rather than being raised only now.

“The cooperation agreement dates back to 2025, sir. We shouldn’t now say, for example, that the central government should give us money. That would be absurd, sir,” he stressed.

Nevertheless, he said the central government could be involved if intervention was needed to resolve the issue. However, he stressed that central government involvement would not automatically mean taking over funding responsibilities that fall under the provincial government’s authority.

“If central government intervention is needed to resolve this, then let’s resolve it. But don’t ask for money, because that falls under the provincial government’s authority, right, sir?” Johan said.

He said prolonged land acquisition issues could hinder the entire development plan for the Padalarang Station area. The area is being prepared as a transport hub connecting the high-speed railway with surrounding areas, including Kota Baru Parahyangan and Citatah.

Around the station, the Ministry of Public Works, through the Directorate General of Highways, worked on three road sections and sidewalks in 2023: Jalan Raya Padalarang, Jalan Panaris, and Jalan Gedong Lima, with a combined length of about 3.3 kilometers.

Johan therefore hoped that resolving the land issue would be among the recommendations resulting from Commission V’s working visit. He emphasized that certainty over land acquisition must be prioritized so that development and plans for the Padalarang Station area can proceed as scheduled. (APP/um)