Friday, May 8, 2026, the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FH UGM), through its Legal Consultation and Aid Center (PKBH) unit, together with the High Prosecution Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (Kejati DIY) and the Justicia Student Council (Dema Justicia), successfully organized a collaborative Legal Counseling event, "Suluh Praja" and "Desa Mitra," at the Merdikorejo Village Office, Tempel District, Sleman Regency.
This legal counseling represents a synergy among various elements: academics through the presence of Lecturers from the UGM Faculty of Law, Law Enforcement Officials (APH) through the presence of State Attorneys from Kejati DIY, and students through Dema Justicia. Under the theme "Guarded Law for an Empowered Village," this event aimed to improve the understanding of Merdikorejo Village Officials regarding the Management of Village Treasury Land and Village Tourism. The event began with various welcoming remarks, including those from the Project Officer of Desa Mitra, representatives of Dema Justicia, the Head of Merdikorejo Village, the Assistant for Civil and State Administrative Law of Kejati DIY, and the Secretary of PKBH. The remarks were filled with warmth and introductions to kick off this tangible collaboration.
The event continued with a presentation on the Main Duties and Functions (Tupoksi) of Civil and State Administrative Law (Datun) by Kejati DIY. This session was represented directly by the Assistant for Civil and State Administrative Law of Kejati DIY, Mr. Arif Raharjo, S.H., M.H., alongside his team. Following the presentation on Datun's duties, the event proceeded with the delivery of legal counseling material regarding Village Treasury Land by Dr. Jur. Any Andjarwati, S.H., M.Jur.
In her presentation, Dr. Any discussed the DIY Governor Regulation Number 24 of 2024 as the latest legal basis for the utilization of village treasury land in DIY. Furthermore, she explained the permitted land uses according to the governor's regulation, serving as a basis for village officials to execute land utilization legally. The event then moved on to the second presentation regarding Village Tourism by Mrs. Almonika Cindy Fatika Sari, S.H., M.A. The discussion highlighted the roles that villages can undertake to realize fair and sustainable village tourism governance. Mrs. Almonika emphasized that fair and sustainable governance of village tourism is a crucial aspect of achieving village development in line with the Shared Vision of an Advanced Indonesia towards Golden Indonesia 2045.
After the presentations, the event continued with a question-and-answer session between the speakers and the village officials. The Q&A session was active and participatory, directly addressing the issues faced by the Merdikorejo village community related to village treasury land management in the tourism sector, such as tourism levies and village regulations on tourism. During the Q&A, the village officials delegated their questions through the Merdikorejo Village Consultative Body. The speakers answered these questions comprehensively and in accordance with the existing legal framework.
Once the Q&A session concluded, the event was closed with the presentation of certificates of appreciation by the Community Service division of Dema Justicia. In line with the event's theme of "Guarded Law for an Empowered Village," this event is expected to contribute to the 8th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) regarding the realization of decent work and economic growth. In addition, this legal counseling is also expected to align with the 10th SDG of reducing inequalities through the creation and protection of workers' rights, the 11th SDG aimed at building sustainable cities and communities, and the 16th SDG of creating peace, justice, and strong institutions, starting from the village administration. Through tangible contributions aligned with the Principles of Sustainable Development, FH UGM continues to advance toward the fulfillment of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, one of which is community service.
Author: Faizal Cahya Adhyaksa (PKBH FH UGM)
