PKP Ministry prepares Rp2.2 trillion for post-disaster permanent housing in Sumatra

Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait has prepared Rp2.2 trillion to accelerate the construction of permanent housing (Huntap) following disasters in Sumatra. He stated that the ministry has readied all necessary aspects to support the acceleration of post-disaster housing construction. “Policy readiness is complete, programmes and budgets have been prepared with a value of around Rp2.2 trillion. The design of permanent housing along with infrastructure, facilities, and utilities is also ready using Rumah Instan Sederhana Sehat (RISHA) technology and precision interlock bricks,” said Maruarar, known as Ara, in Jakarta on Thursday. He explained that local governments have also assisted in the land provision process so that construction can proceed immediately. In addition, the Ministry of PKP has prepared supporting human resources in each affected region, namely 57 personnel in Aceh, 35 personnel in North Sumatra, and 30 personnel in West Sumatra. In its implementation, the PKP Minister suggested involving the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) to ensure the entire process adheres to good governance. Ara added that RISHA and precision interlock brick technologies were chosen because they have been widely used in various post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes in Indonesia. RISHA will be used for communal permanent housing construction in Aceh and North Sumatra, while precision interlock bricks will be used in West Sumatra. Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Maruarar Sirait attended a Ministerial-Level Coordination Meeting on the Progress of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration in Sumatra at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) in Central Jakarta. The meeting was chaired by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno as Chairman of the Task Force Steering Team for Post-Disaster Acceleration and Reconstruction in Sumatra. Also present were Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo, Head of BNPB Suharyanto, as well as representatives from ministries, agencies, the TNI, and Polri. Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, who also serves as Chairman of the Task Force Implementation Team, stated that 33 ministries and agencies are currently involved in accelerating post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction. Of that number, five ministries and agencies have received budget allocations, while 20 ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of PKP, are still in process at the Ministry of Finance. “The Ministry of PKP is one of the priorities because the construction of communal permanent housing is eagerly awaited by the community. Therefore, we hope for accelerated support from the Ministry of Finance,” he said. The Minister of Home Affairs explained that two types of housing are being prepared in post-disaster handling, namely temporary housing (huntara) and permanent housing (huntap). Currently, the construction of temporary housing is entering its final stages with approximately 3.09 percent of work remaining. “Communal permanent housing is the responsibility of the Ministry of PKP, while housing built on community-owned land or through an in-situ scheme is carried out by BNPB,” said Tito. In addition, the construction of permanent housing through a mutual cooperation scheme with the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation, initiated by the PKP Minister, is also ongoing. A total of 2,603 permanent housing units will be built, consisting of 1,103 units in North Sumatra, 1,000 units in Aceh, and 500 units in West Sumatra, with a completion target of October 2026.