Public Works Minister Slams Officials Over Sekolah Rakyat Project, Which Is Half-Stalled

Public Works Minister (PU) Dody Hanggodo lamented the presence of officials within his ministry suspected of improper conduct in the construction of Sekolah Rakyat. The condition is said to have left the government’s priority project half-stalled.

According to Dody, the progress of Sekolah Rakyat as of 20 May 2026 was only around 58-59 percent. The project was targeted to be usable in the new academic year starting July 2026.

‘Unfortunately, my colleagues in the Ministry of Public Works have other ideas. They are still attempting to carry out actions that are not commendable in the early stages of the Sekolah Rakyat’s construction, so this project, if I may say, is half-stalled. I warned at the start of the year, but it was ignored,’ Dody said at a media briefing at the Ministry of Public Works in Jakarta on Friday (22 May 2026).

Dody revealed various technical obstacles should have been resolved since January-February 2026. However, because they were handled late, the progress of the Sekolah Rakyat’s construction fell behind. He admitted he had to dismiss several officials due to the delays.

‘It’s sad, but what can you do? This is the ministry entrusted to me by the President. But I am very confident that among the 38,600 civil servants at the Ministry of Public Works, there are still many who want to work well and properly,’ he said.

Dody also disclosed that there are still construction contracts whose completion targets extend beyond the start of the new academic year. President Prabowo Subianto has asked that Sekolah Rakyat be ready for use by June 2026.

Furthermore, there are still a number of construction sites with the lowest progress, such as in Singkawang, Cilacap, Dharmasraya, North Lombok, and Brebes. Nevertheless, Dody remained optimistic that 88 Sekolah Rakyat could be completed by June 2026.

‘I present facts and data based on what is happening. And again, I am the Minister of Public Works; I will not attempt to conceal anything. That is also why when there was a raid yesterday, I allowed my room to be searched,’ he said.

Dody stressed that the government’s priority programmes must continue to run to their maximum even in the face of internal ministry problems. One example is the water resources programme to support the 2026 target of self-sufficiency in food.

‘So don’t worry. Even if everything is affected, the government’s priority programmes in water resources, particularly to support food self-sufficiency in 2026, must and can be carried out to the maximum,’ he explained.

According to Dody, all government priority programmes must succeed while maintaining the effectiveness and efficiency of infrastructure development.

‘The government priority programmes must and should be successful at any cost, while taking into account their effectiveness and efficiency. The aim is that all infrastructure we work on becomes more effective and efficient, so that with production costs kept as low as possible, but a domino effect to the people that is maximised. And the infrastructure we build should last longer,’ he concluded.

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