Interior Minister and Housing Minister Review People's Housing Programme in Minahasa

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Interior Minister (Mendagri) Muhammad Tito Karnavian, together with Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait and Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, reviewed the progress of several people’s housing programmes in North Sulawesi Province (Sulut). One of the programmes inspected was subsidised housing at Jaya Chidaatma Home Koka Subsidised Housing, Minahasa Regency. “President Prabowo has specifically tasked Mr Ara (Minister PKP) with this, and I am assisting. Helping him by simplifying various regulations, making it easier,” Tito said in his statement in Jakarta on Friday. During the inspection, the Interior Minister conveyed that the programme represents significant attention from President Prabowo Subianto to low-income communities. Tito hopes that more local governments and communities will benefit from the programme. He stressed that the programme not only assists the underprivileged but also holds religious value. “For us, it is an act of worship. Helping the underprivileged with a sincere heart, that is worship. May this receive reward from the Almighty God,” he stated. During the inspection, Tito also engaged directly in discussions with developers and residents in the housing area. The Interior Minister, along with the Housing Minister and BPS Head, also gathered aspirations from developers and residents. One focus of the discussion was permitting services for Building Construction Approvals (PBG) and Acquisition Duty on Land and Buildings (BPHTB) for low-income communities (MBR). The Interior Minister emphasised the importance of optimising these services through Public Service Malls (MPP). “Public Service Malls are extremely beneficial for accelerating these permits. Because in Public Service Malls, outlets for PBG and BPHTB must be established,” said the Interior Minister. Furthermore, Tito explained that the central government has set policies for free PBG and BPHTB permitting for MBR. He urged local governments (Pemda) that this policy not only demonstrates the government’s support for low-income people but also has the potential to increase regional own-source revenue (PAD). “If this land was empty before, it only paid land tax, but once houses are built like this, from next year onwards they will pay two types: land and building tax. The more houses built, the more PAD,” he said. After reviewing the programme, the Interior Minister and entourage continued their visit to Tempang Dua Village, North Langowan Subdistrict, Minahasa Regency. The group directly inspected prospective recipients of the Self-Help Housing Stimulus Assistance (BSPS) programme. In addition, the entourage also witnessed a simulation of the people’s tender.