Terima Pemeriksaan Substantif DJKI Kemenkumham RI, Batu Pulaki Banyupoh Siap Miliki HKI

The Buleleng Regency Government, through the Buleleng Regional Research and Innovation Agency (Brida), continues to refine legal protection measures for superior local products. Partnering with the Mpu Kuturan Singaraja State Hindu Institute for research, the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia conducted a substantive field inspection of the Geographical Indication (GI) application for Batu Pulaki Banyupoh, a stone native to Banyupoh Village, on Tuesday (May 19th) at the Wantilan of the Banyupoh Village Head Office. The Head of Brida Buleleng, Ketut Suwarmawan, explained that the GI application process was a long, research-based process. He stated that they collaborated with the Mpu Kuturan State Hindu Institute in Singaraja to conduct research on the Banyupoh Pulaki Stone in 2025 and successfully registered it at the end of December 2025. "The process was quite lengthy. We first conducted research with the assistance of colleagues from the Mpu Kuturan State Hindu Institute in 2025. Once the data was complete, we registered at the end of December 2025 through the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights," said Suwarmawan when met during a field verification. The Head of the Banyupoh Regency, known as Ketsu, added that after passing the announcement and administrative review period for two months without any objections, the current stage is entering a substantive examination to match the documents with the reality on the ground. This examination will include direct verification of the actual conditions related to the group's existence, including the geographic location and processing of the Banyupoh Pulaki Stone. Meanwhile, Gunawan, a representative from the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (DJKI) of the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights, stated that this verification aims to ensure the authenticity and specifications of the product submitted by the Society for the Protection of Geographical Indications (MPIG) for Batu Pulaki Banyupoh Buleleng. He stated that Batu Pulaki Banyupoh has great potential due to its specific cultural, cultural, and religious values ​​for the Balinese people, which are not found in stones from other regions. "In terms of documentation, everything is in accordance. However, there are several technical aspects that need to be improved, one of which is the stone's hardness level, which ranges from 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale," said Gunawan. He recommended that the MPIG group be provided with hardness testing equipment to maintain quality control. This is crucial to ensure that every stone produced meets the standardized scale. Anything below 6 cannot be called Batu Pulaki Banyupoh Buleleng. Gunawan also emphasized the importance of this legal protection to prevent misuse of the name by external parties. Based on Law Number 20 of 2016 concerning Trademarks and Geographical Indications, any outside party using the name "Batu Pulaki Banyupoh Buleleng" without authorization may be subject to legal sanctions. Following the IG's questioning, the Head of the MPIG Batu Pulaki Banyupoh, Kadek Sudiasa, admitted that Batu Pulaki crafts have existed since the 1980s, first discovered and developed by a local figure named the late Putu Dana, better known as Pak Gobel. They even participated in a national exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). He stated that despite the abundant stone potential in the Banyupoh forest and river areas, for the initial stage, only three types of stone from two locations have been registered because they are considered the most rare and sought-after: Batu Kresna Dana, Batu Gadang Tabur, and Batu Brumbun Tabur.