On Thursday, 29 January 2026, the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through its Legal Aid and Consultation Center (PKBH), in collaboration with the High Prosecutor’s Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), successfully conducted the Suluh Praja Legal Outreach Program at the Giripeni Village Office, Wates District, Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. This legal outreach activity aimed to enhance legal knowledge and awareness among village officials and local community members regarding legal issues frequently encountered at the village level. The Suluh Praja program carried the theme “Village Land Assets, Village Regulations on Environmental Protection, and the Merah Putih Cooperative”, providing comprehensive legal insights into the latest regulatory framework governing village land assets (kalurahan land), the formulation of village regulations on environmental protection, as well as the government’s most recent initiative concerning the Merah Putih Cooperative.
The event commenced at 9:30 a.m. (WIB) with an opening prayer, followed by the collective singing of the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya. The opening remarks were delivered by the Head of Giripeni Village, Iswanto Adi Saputro, S.E. The initial presentation was then delivered by the Civil and Administrative Law Team (Datun) of the High Prosecutor’s Office of DIY, represented by Ranu Subroto, S.H., M.Hum., along with other team members. The Datun team presented an overview of the main duties and functions of the civil and administrative law division of the High Prosecutor’s Office of DIY.
The session continued with presentations from lecturers of the Faculty of Law UGM, namely Dr. Rimawati, S.H., M.Hum., a lecturer in the Department of Customary Law; Dr. Fajar Winarni, S.H., M.Hum., a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Law; and Dr. Mahaarum Kusuma Pertiwi, S.H., M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., a lecturer in the Department of Constitutional Law. The presentation on Village Land Assets was delivered by Dr. Rimawati, emphasizing recent legislative developments and the alignment of village land utilization—particularly land classified as Sultanate Land and Duchy Land—with objectives such as cultural development, social interests, and community welfare. The discussion was followed by a presentation from Dr. Fajar Winarni on the formulation of village regulations on environmental protection, highlighting key substantive elements that should be accommodated to ensure sustainable and legally sound environmental governance at the village level. Furthermore, the presentation on the Merah Putih Cooperative was delivered by Dr. Mahaarum Kusuma Pertiwi, who outlined the fundamental concepts and legal basis of the Merah Putih Cooperative in accordance with the latest applicable regulations. In further discussions, it was emphasized that the establishment and development of the Merah Putih Cooperative require synchronization and synergy among various stakeholders, particularly in light of regulatory frameworks issued by both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Villages.
All speakers, both from the High Prosecutor’s Office of DIY and from the Faculty of Law UGM, actively engaged in discussions during the question-and-answer session with village officials. Most questions focused on issues related to the utilization of village land assets and the development of the Merah Putih Cooperative, which remain ongoing challenges requiring collaborative solutions involving all relevant stakeholders.
The presentations were delivered in an interactive and engaging manner, enabling productive discussions throughout the session. The speakers provided clear and solution-oriented responses to participants’ questions. This legal outreach program is expected to contribute to SDG Goal 1 (no poverty), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production), Goal 15 (life on land), Goal 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions) beginning at the village governance level, and to strengthen partnerships in line with Goal 17 (partnerships for the goals) through the involvement of various relevant institutions.
Author: Adetia Surya Maulana (PKBH)
