In Two Months, 15,000 Uninhabitable Houses in Border Areas to Be Renovated
JAKARTA - As many as 15,000 uninhabitable houses (RTLH) in border areas are set to be renovated through the Self-Help Housing Stimulus Assistance (BSPS) programme initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) in the next two months.
The programme will be implemented in 17 provinces, targeting 40 regencies/cities in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas, including regions directly bordering seven countries as well as outer islands and small outer islands (PPKT).
Minister of PKP Maruarar Sirait, or Ara, emphasised that the BSPS programme in border areas represents the state’s presence in fulfilling the basic needs of the community.
“Border areas are the country’s front porch. We want the people in these regions to have decent, healthy, and safe housing. This is not just about houses, but also about improving quality of life and strengthening the social and economic resilience of the community,” said Ara on Thursday (23/4/2026).
“The programme is planned to start in 1-2 months. We want to begin quickly so that the benefits are soon felt by the people in the border areas,” she stressed.
The implementation of this programme involves cross-agency collaboration, including the National Border Management Agency (BNPP) and Statistics Indonesia (BPS), to ensure that the handling of RTLH is targeted and data-based.
“Collaboration with BNPP and BPS is very important. BNPP ensures focus on border areas, while BPS supports data accuracy so that the programme is on target,” she added.
The Head of BNPP, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri), Tito Karnavian, appreciated the Ministry of PKP’s step in bringing housing programmes to border areas.
“We thank the Ministry of PKP for showing concern for border areas through housing programmes. This is concrete evidence that the state is present in border regions,” he said.
He assessed that the programme would have a direct impact on the people in border areas.
Meanwhile, the Head of BPS, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, expressed her support through the provision of accurate and integrated data.
“We will support this programme with valid and up-to-date data so that the distribution of assistance is on target and truly reaches the people in need,” she said.
The programme covers Indonesia’s border areas with Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Palau, and Thailand, as well as outer island areas such as Simeulue, the Mentawai Islands, and Enggano Island.
Through this programme to improve the quality of 15,000 RTLH, the government hopes to create a livable settlement environment while strengthening border areas as the front porch of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.