Deputy Minister for Public Housing and Public Works instructs regional governments in Southeast Sulawesi to rehabilitate slum areas

Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi - Deputy Minister for Public Housing and Public Works Fahri Hamzah has instructed provincial and district/city governments across Southeast Sulawesi to plan and improve slum housing areas within their respective jurisdictions. Speaking in Kendari on Thursday, Fahri Hamzah said that this urban-upgrading step is part of the national programme ‘Gerakan Indonesia ASRI’ (Safe, Healthy, Clean, and Beautiful) launched by President Prabowo Subianto. He added that the President has specifically asked the ministry to campaign for Gerakan Indonesia ASRI to create more decent and higher-quality living environments for the people. He also urged various parties, including associations of housing developers, to collaborate in improving the face of settlement areas. ‘Areas that are well-organised, clean and beautiful not only improve residents’ quality of life, but also have a positive impact on the development of regional tourism potential,’ he said. As supporting instruments, Fahri Hamzah outlined several key factors for accelerating the upgrading of slum areas, including renovation and rehabilitation through the ‘bedah rumah tidak layak huni’ (RTLH) programme and new construction, namely the nationwide acceleration of the three million homes programme. ‘Then, basic infrastructure with improvements to sanitation and drainage in densely populated environments,’ he added. Fahri Hamzah expressed hope that local governments in Southeast Sulawesi would soon map priority areas so that interventions from the central government via the Ministry of Public Housing and Public Works could run more effectively and targets could be met.