Prabowo Urges Indonesia to Abandon Zinc Roofing, Return to Traditional Materials Like Ijuk and Rumbai

President Prabowo Subianto has advocated the use of building materials deemed healthier whilst also preserving the aesthetics of buildings, in the manner of Indonesians of earlier generations who used clay roof tiles and rumbai thatch.

“Aesthetics, beauty, must be preserved. Originally, the Indonesian nation did not use zinc. If necessary, let us return to using palm fibre, return to using rumbai,” the President said whilst inaugurating the revitalisation of Semarang Tawang Station in Semarang, Central Java, as quoted from an official statement by the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta on Thursday, 30 July 2026.

The President said that Indonesian society has long used building materials such as clay roof tiles, which in his view are not new technology.

“Our people have long been able to make roof tiles. Tiles are not new technology. Our people have used tiles since ancient times,” he said.

According to the President, the use of zinc roofing, which rusts easily, can have an impact on health. In addition, Prabowo also highlighted asbestos as a roofing material that can be dangerous if its particles are inhaled into the lungs.

“Zinc rusts quickly. Rust is not good for health. So many people will suffer lung disease without us realising. Young people are already getting lung cancer, even though they do not smoke. Where does it come from? From the rust. From asbestos, from all sorts of things. Chemicals,” the President said.

On that occasion, the President also invited governors, regents, mayors and all agencies in their respective fields to preserve nature and maintain environmental cleanliness.