Acting Regent of Cilacap Eyes FABA Bricks Made by Nusakambangan Inmates
Acting Regent of Cilacap Ammy Amalia Fatma has expressed interest in using fly ash and bottom ash (FABA) bricks made by inmates on Nusakambangan Island, Central Java, as a material for regional development projects. According to Ammy, the FABA bricks are more economical and possess superior strength compared to conventional bricks.
“FABA is a product of coal waste compacted into paving blocks. Its strength is greater than red bricks or ordinary concrete blocks. The quality is much better. I believe it has already been marketed for the PIK development. Naturally, we have taken notice of these FABA products,” Ammy told detikcom whilst accompanying House of Representatives Commission IV Chair Titiek Soeharto on a working visit to Nusakambangan Island on Saturday (20/6/2026).
Regarding pricing, Ammy noted that the FABA workshop on Nusakambangan is competitive because the workforce consists of inmates receiving skills training from the Directorate General of Corrections under the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. This results in significantly lower human resource costs compared to conventional brick factories.
“The FABA production can be sold cheaper than regular brick factories. Other factories have to pay worker wages, whereas here the costs are minimal because the workers are inmates. That is the advantage,” Ammy explained.
She further explained that the Cilacap Regency Government is currently reviewing its Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW). The revised plan is scheduled for ratification in 2027, with execution targeted for 2028. “Coincidentally, this year, 2026, we must review the spatial plan, with ratification in 2027. My target is that by 2028, there will be no more rice fields in the urban area of Cilacap,” Ammy stated. “We will reorganise it so that the urban area becomes a commercial and industrial centre, along with residential areas. This will certainly require a great deal of that FABA product,” she concluded.
The FABA brick and paving block workshop on Nusakambangan occupies over 11,250 square metres of land. It operates two brick and paving block moulding machines, each capable of working automatically and manually. Twenty inmates from Nirbaya Prison produce 2,000 paving blocks daily, along with 480 bricks. To date, the workshop has produced 44,700 paving blocks out of a total order of 50,500 units.