PPU Regency Hands Over 21 Relocation Homes to ITCI Market Fire Victims
Penajam Paser Utara (PPU) Regency in East Kalimantan has handed over 21 relocation homes to families who were victims of a fire at the ITCI market in Maridan Village, Sepaku District, in November 2022. The symbolic handover of house keys was conducted by Regent Mudyat Noor on Friday (12/6) during a Safari Jumat activity at the At-Taqwa Mosque in Maridan, witnessed by Regional Secretary Tohar, assistants, expert staff, and heads of various regional apparatus organisations (OPD), as well as local residents.
“Completing the relocation programme is part of the government’s responsibility to communities affected by disasters,” Mudyat stated after the ceremony. He emphasised that planned development programmes must be implemented in stages according to the region’s financial capacity while upholding the principle of justice for all citizens. “The public’s expectations are certainly a concern for the government. However, we must also be wise in addressing various conditions and regional capabilities. The most important thing is that existing problems do not create new ones,” he told Maridan residents.
The Regent noted that the local government continues to strive for development that not only focuses on infrastructure but also touches on social aspects, including providing decent housing for disaster-affected residents. The relocation project, located at RT 6 on Jalan Mariko (Maridan-Riko), was constructed by CV Rafa Jaya Mandiri with supervision by CV Borneo Raung Desain. A total of 21 housing units were built, complete with biogas septic tank sanitation facilities to support the quality of the new settlement environment.
The fire that struck Pasar Maridan in November 2022 destroyed dozens of kiosks and houses situated on land under a Cultivation Rights Title (HGU) owned by PT ITCI Kartika Utama. As a follow-up, the PPU Regency Government programmed the relocation of residents and the market to a safer location within the Maridan Village area. The construction of the relocation homes was funded by the PPU Regional Budget for the 2025 fiscal year, amounting to IDR 6,962,590,000, with a contract implementation period of 150 calendar days starting from the signing on 25 June 2025.
On the same occasion, Regent Mudyat Noor also conveyed various developments in Sepaku District, including regional planning following the establishment of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN). He affirmed that the regional government continues to advocate for various community needs, ranging from road infrastructure to plans for regional structuring and district expansion to improve public services. “Going forward, we will continue to carry out regional structuring in stages in accordance with applicable regulations so that services to the community become more optimal,” he concluded.