Home Affairs Minister "Chases" Regional Heads: Flood Victims in Sumatra Should Not Stay Long in Temporary Housing

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian has urged all regional heads in areas affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra to accelerate the data collection on homes categorised as severely damaged. According to him, this acceleration is necessary so that the victims do not stay too long in temporary housing (huntara). “The people are waiting; they should not stay too long in huntara either. They are hoping for permanent housing, so the main key to permanent housing is data,” said Tito during a press conference at the Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (25/3/2026). Tito also asked local governments to immediately form special teams to speed up the data collection process in the field. Tito stated that the government is targeting the construction of around 37,000 permanent housing units (huntap) for the affected communities. In the prepared scheme, the public is given the option to build houses independently on their original locations, provided that the area is safe from disaster risks. If building huntap independently, the central government provides financial support of Rp 60 million per house. This fund will be disbursed in two stages, with Rp 30 million each time. “If you want to build on your own land with Rp 60 million, you may build it yourself. So, it suits your taste; whether per village, with your own budget plus additional from family, that’s fine, or from the regional government that wants to provide additional help, that’s also welcome, so it’s more decent,” said Tito. On the other hand, an option for relocation to new community-based settlement areas is also being prepared. Local governments are asked to immediately prepare the land, including utilising state assets or those of state-owned enterprises (BUMN). “Sir, we want to live in a complex, Sir; we have 100 people, 75 of us want to be in the complex alone. Regional government, immediately prepare the land where, and the President’s order is clear: all state-owned land, including that owned by BUMN, can be used as a priority for disaster survivors,” said Tito. For the construction of such communal areas, the central government is ready to provide support through the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP).