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| Indonesian Minister Urges Sulawesi Regional Leaders to Accelerate Spatial Planning Updates for Sustainable Development. |
Palu, Indonesia — Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), Nusron Wahid, called on all regional leaders across Sulawesi to immediately revise and update their Regional Spatial Plans (RTRW) and Detailed Spatial Plans (RDTR). This statement was made during the Regional Development Coordination Forum on Spatial Planning for Sulawesi Island, held at the Central Sulawesi Provincial Parliament Building on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
“When a regional head takes office, the first thing I ask is for them to revise their spatial plans — both at the provincial and regency/city levels. That’s the foundation for planned and structured development,” said Minister Nusron.
Why Revising RTRW is Urgent
The RTRW serves as a broad guideline for regional development. However, according to the minister, it is not detailed enough to guide practical decision-making. That’s where the RDTR comes in — as a more technical and specific breakdown of spatial planning.
“If development only refers to RTRW, decisions can be uncoordinated and biased. We need RDTR as a concrete and measurable tool to avoid distortion and conflict in land use,” he explained.
Sulawesi Still Lags Behind in RDTR Preparation
Nationally, the target is to complete 2,000 RDTR documents. So far, only 695 have been completed. For Sulawesi, out of a total target of 451 RDTRs, 361 are still missing.
Here is the breakdown by province:
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North Sulawesi: 59 needed
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Southeast Sulawesi: 96 needed
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West Sulawesi: 21 needed
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South Sulawesi: 111 needed
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Central Sulawesi: 51 needed
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Gorontalo: 23 needed
Government Collaboration Is Key
To speed up the process, Minister Nusron emphasized shared responsibility between the central, provincial, and local governments.
“To avoid blaming each other for the slow progress, we need to share the pain and share the gain. From the 361 shortfall, one-third is the responsibility of the central government through the ATR/BPN Ministry, one-third by the provinces, and the rest by the districts and cities,” he stated.
Digital Mapping Supports Efficient Planning
During the forum, the Head of the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), Muh. Aris Marfai, symbolically handed over 1:5,000-scale base maps to five provinces in Sulawesi. Impressively, Sulawesi is now the first island in Indonesia to have complete and detailed spatial maps.
These maps are essential for:
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Licensing and permits
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Supporting investment
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Efficient development planning
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Reducing land use overlap and conflict
Strong Collaboration for a Sustainable Future
The forum highlighted the importance of unity and cross-government collaboration to ensure that spatial planning can truly support inclusive and long-term development. Minister Nusron stressed that a shared commitment is crucial for maintaining spatial order and creating investor-friendly regions.
“We all must work together to manage our space wisely — not just for now, but for the future,” he concluded.
Also present at the event were:
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Director General of Spatial Planning, Suyus Windayana
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Special Staff for Agrarian Reform, Rezka Oktoberia
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Head of the ATR/BPN Regional Office for Central Sulawesi, Muhammad Tansri
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Other high-ranking officials from the ATR/BPN Ministry
Updating spatial planning documents like RTRW and RDTR is no longer optional — it’s a necessity. With complete base maps and cooperation between all levels of government, Indonesia — starting with Sulawesi — can build a stronger, more sustainable, and well-organized future.