Solidarity of Minang People and Buddhists in Sumatra, from Donated Land for Permanent Housing
The construction of permanent housing, or Huntap, is a key focus of recovery efforts following floods and flash floods in Sumatra. In various affected areas, elements of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) Post-Sumatra Disaster are busy completing the builds. Volunteers and philanthropic groups are also participating in these actions.
Amid the recovery process, a different story emerges from Kampung Talang, Kelurahan Kapalo Koto, Kecamatan Pauh, Padang City. At that site, the land for Huntap construction comes from a donation by the Ninik Mamak of the Tanjuang Clan. This donated land forms the foundation for building ten independent Huntap units for flood and flash flood victims.
For the Minangkabau people, clan land is an inherited heirloom passed down through generations. Thus, the decision to donate land for Huntap represents a profound act of mutual cooperation and social solidarity for the affected residents.
Initiator of the Kampung Talang Independent Huntap, Dasrul, rallied clan agreement to provide land measuring 14 x 12 metres for each affected family. With ten Huntap units built, the total donated land amounts to around 1,680 square metres.
Several permanent housing units (Huntap) still under construction for flash flood survivors are being built in Kelurahan Kapalo Koto, Kecamatan Pauh, Padang City, on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Construction progress has reached 95 per cent and is targeted to be fully completed by the end of May 2026. “There will be 10 households occupying the Kampung Talang Huntap,” Dasrul told Tempo on Monday, 11 May 2026.
Construction is still ongoing. Some residents are installing tiles, others are finishing sepablock walls and transporting building materials.
The majority of residents affected by the late November 2025 floods are farmers and daily labourers. Now, some are involved in building the homes they will eventually occupy. One of them is Safril, 45, a flash flood survivor now working as a labourer at the Huntap site. At the location, there are about 20 workers. Twelve of them are survivors who will also become Huntap residents.
“This is an advantage here. Residents not only receive houses but also participate in the work. There is economic circulation among themselves,” said Dasrul. The workers receive wages of around Rp 125,000 per day, while professional tradesmen are paid about Rp 170,000 per day.
Each Huntap unit is built to a 6x6 metre size or type 36, equipped with two bedrooms and one bathroom. In addition to completing the house construction, the government and residents are also preparing supporting infrastructure in the area. “After the Huntap is finished, Padang City Government will help concrete the road to the site, and drainage will be built around the housing,” said Dasrul.
Huntap construction began with the laying of the first stone on 29 January 2026 by Padang Mayor Fadly Amran. The project involves Kadin Indonesia, Kadin Sumbar, Padang City Government, SOEs, TNI/Polri, and donors.
“This is one of the first in Sumatra post-disaster. We thank all parties, including donors who contributed,” said Fadly at the time.
Besides in Kampung Talang, Huntap construction is also underway in Kelurahan Balai Gadang, Kecamatan Koto Tangah, Padang City. The Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation began building 209 units in February.
Representative of Buddha Tzu Chi Volunteers, Prasetya Salim, said the construction is targeted to be completed in four months. “Currently, the process is still in the early stage of foundation excavation. The aim is to hand it over to the affected families as soon as possible,” he said.
Meanwhile, the central government through the Ministry of Public Works and Housing is preparing phased Huntap construction until 2028. A total of 1,252 Huntap units are planned to be built in West Sumatra.
Overall, Satgas PRR targets Huntap construction in three provinces at 39,501 units. Aceh Province receives the largest allocation with 28,876 units planned, followed by North Sumatra with 7,321 units, and West Sumatra with 3,304 units.
As of mid-May 2026, 53 regencies/cities were affected, but eight areas chose not to apply for Huntap construction, leaving 45 regencies/cities in the programme target.
Of these 45 areas, only 12 regencies/cities have issued Mayoral/Regental Decrees (SK) as the legal basis for construction and determination of beneficiary locations. There are still 33 regencies/cities that have not completed those administrative documents.
Head of Satgas PRR, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, emphasised that providing Huntap is the top priority in the Master Plan (Renduk) for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Post-Sumatra Disaster.
“Huntap, main roads, basically the most essential ones, we recommend completing in 2026,” said Tito. Therefore, Satgas PRR continues to urge governors and regents to promptly finalise data validation and land status so that the construction process can be accelerated simultaneously across all affected areas.