Land Ownership | Should it be for sale or lease?

Hard to say but it is kind of annoying to know that land prices continue to rise every year. For people who already owned a land, congratulation for them. And for people who do not have it yet, you have to work very hard guys so that you will be able to purchase one too in the future. The question that we all may ask (particularly for those who do not own a land) deep in our heart, how hard should we work so we can afford it? 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years perhaps? It is quite a long time, right pals?

Therefore, on this simple personal writing, I would like to offer another alternative that perhaps can answer this problematic event. I will begin from what stated in the 3rd point of article 33 of UUD 1945 (transl. Ayat 3 Pasal 33 UUD 1945), "Earth, water and natural riches contained therein are controlled by the state and used for the greatest welfare of the people." This article clearly describes that it is the right of Indonesian government to control and use earth as a part of state assets to accommodate the needs of its people. This is the first clue to our alternative answer.

The next clue comes from business model that will become one of mega trends for the next decade. Manoj Menon, the partner and managing director of Asia Pacific for Frost and Sullivan, has revealed his 10 mega trends that will shape and define the next decade in GES Summit 2010 in Singapore (7-8 October 2010) as reported by SK Zainuddin of Globe Asia magazine in November 2010 edition. According to Menon, asset ownership will be replaced by asset-leased so people can swiftly move from one industry to another. Hereby, the keywords are flexibility and minimum cost. In the upcoming  decade, people are unlikely to own some assets but to lease for some periods of time. As a result, the big cost for purchasing and maintenance will be transferred to the leasing company, and tenants only have to pay for leasing fee.

Now, if these two clues are combined and brought together into the land issue, we will have a brand new perspective to consider. According to the first and second clues, state or government shall play a new role to lease land to its people in affordable price. The advantage of this uncommon step is about to bring justice to all people where everyone will have right to lease a land to build a place for living. No one will have to buy land anymore. Another advantage is to support the rapid mobility from region to region. As the system runs, people will feel no worry to move to other region in Indonesia because local government will provide them land to be leased. For that reason, this leasing system really suits some people with high mobility and no intention to stay in an area for a long time.

However, to keep everything run well, government shall make some restrictions to prevent the system from breaking down. The policies are likely as follows,

1. One person can only lease one area for one purpose. For example, Donovan can lease 100 x 100 m2 area for building a house. He cannot lease again in the same region to build another house, but he can lease a place to do his business.
2. One person shall be limited in acquiring permission to lease in different region. This policy will limit how many one person can lease outside his living area. For example, Donovan can only lease one area in one region.
3. Every tenant who intentionally causes damage to leasing area and its surrounding will be considered violating the law and therefore that person will be charged officially in court.

This short writing may not fully answer the problem of land ownership in the next decade. Its effectiveness must be scientifically proven though. However, the attempts to never stop innovating and finding another solution are definitely better than just sitting and complaining. I do believe that the one who can solve every problem of this nation is its people, no one else can.

The Best Business Concept

After reading a lot of business and self development books and articles of how  to be a successful entrepreneur, I often wonder about what kind of business concept that will really make a big hit in this competitive market nowadays.

Luckily, or maybe coincidentally, a few weeks ago I watched an interesting program in Metro TV about an international soccer tournament for children (age 10-12) called Danone Nations Cup 2010 held in South Africa, which my beloved country, Indonesia, also took part within. What made it very interesting was the main sponsor of this tournament, Danone. It was said in the program that the reason behind Danone sponsorship was to do part of its company's social responsibility. It has been in the company's mission to support the effort of creating prosperity to the world's economy.

Frank Riboud, the CEO of Danone that was interviewed by Desi Anwar of Metro TV in the program, firmly stated (from what I remember) that Danone is not merely a profit business company, it is a social business company that aims to create prosperity to its employees, consumers, and people worldwide through food business.

To add to that, Danone has been sponsoring this tournament for 10 years (started in 2000). Such a tournament must have cost a lot of money even for a giant group like Danone. By looking at this fact, the statement of social business company is not a  nonsense.

Besides the soccer tournament, in Indonesia, one of Danone group members, AQUA, launched its one for ten program in 2007 and 2009. One for ten is a mechanism of purchasing 1 L AQUA for 10 L clean water in areas who need it. Health education is another thing given in this program besides the clean water (http://www.aqua.com/kabaraqua/Program-Satu-untuk-Sepuluh-Kembali-Hadir).

The distinctive approach used by Danone, or we can call it the way of Danone, is quite impressive to ensure the long business life. Of all probability, a company who runs this kind of business model will attain great achievement from all people involved within.

In the beginning history of Islam, it is once said that Prophet Muhammad shalallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was a very successful entrepreneur with excellent moral. What does it mean? It simply explains that Prophet shalallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was able to obtain a high profit in business with his positive self values like honesty, trustworthy, dignity, and so forth (all Muslims know about his great personalities).

In Surah Al-Baqarah verse 261, Allah has stated, "The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing."

The verse above clearly describes that people will lose nothing if  they spend wealth in the way of Allah, which means to help the needy. As a matter of fact, Allah will multiply the wealth (given to the needy) 700 times. If Allah has promised the believers this, we have nothing to be feared, right? 

Therefore, a conclusion can be drawn now that the greatest business concept is the one which is done by people or entrepreneurs with good moral, and people with the good intention to service others who involved within or outside the business. It is called social business concept.

Perhaps, we can get more about social business concept from this book of Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize-winner.

The Beautiful (Mother) Earth

Perhaps, not everyone ever goes to the other unseen parts of this world.
But if you have the financial, why don't you take the chance to go there?
To visit the beautiful places you've never seen before.
Don't we all realize that we are right now standing on a perfect blue planet?

Can we do something to keep it as beautiful as it used to be?
 
This is a question that we all need to answer, not only by words, but also by real actions.

Take a look at this video, and you will see the other face of our earth.
Isn't it beautiful?

The Beginning

This is not a blog of a super writer.
This is only a blog made as a place to put all things that the owner had in mind.
Do not mind to give any comment or constructive criticism for positive purpose.
I just simply want to build a better world for the sake of mankind.

Best regard,

Ardhie

After conducting English Weekend at Malakaji, South Sulawesi.