Members Of The House Of Representatives Ask For Subsidy Houses To Be Deserved, Not Triggering Slum Settlements

JAKARTA - Member of Commission V DPR Irine Yusiana Roba Putri responded to the plan of the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas (KemenPKP) to cut the minimum land area and subsidized housing buildings. According to him, the plan is a policy that needs to be reviewed thoroughly.

He emphasized that the quality of subsidized houses given to the community must be appropriate, not actually triggering slum settlements. Irine also reminded that the interest in expanding access to home ownership for low-income people should not sacrifice the quality of housing.

"Subsidized houses are not just about the area, but also about the comfort and feasibility of living. If the house is made too small, not only limited living space, but also has the potential to cause health, social and psychological problems for its residents," said Irine, Wednesday, June 11.

It is known, the Ministry of PKP proposed the subsidized house area to be 18-36 square meters, while the land area was 25-200 square meters. This size is smaller from the previous provision of 21-36 square meters and a minimum land area of 60 square meters.

The proposal to reduce subsidized houses is contained in the draft Decree of the Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Number / KPTS / M / 2025. However, this proposal did not get approval from the Head of the Hashim Djojohadikusumo Housing Task Force.

Based on information from the member of the Bonny Z Minang Housing Task Force, Hashim was not involved by the Minister of PKP Maruarar Sirait regarding the plan. Maruarar argued that the area of subsidized houses that was not too large was in accordance with increasingly limited land.

Related to this, Irine emphasized that the construction of public housing must be supported by adequate technical standards such as spatial planning and building quality.

"We must also pay attention to supporting infrastructure such as clean water, sanitation, and easy access to transportation to ensure a decent life for the community," he said.

Irine also emphasized that the standard of livingworthiness of the community must be a top priority in every housing policy.

"Don't look at subsidized houses just as buildings, but it's important to build a mindset that subsidized houses are places to live that determine the long-term quality of life for their residents," said Irine.

The member of the Commission in the DPR in charge of public housing affairs is of the view that the government's move to increase the income limit for subsidized home recipients needs to be considered to expand the range of benefits. However, said Irine, the policy must be accompanied by serious attention to the quality of housing.

"If this policy is implemented without in-depth studies and strict supervision, we are concerned that it will pose a risk to densely populated residential areas," said the legislator from the North Maluku electoral district.

Therefore, Irine encourages the government to be more careful by considering not only the economic side, but also the social aspect of each regulatory change.

"If the reduction in the size of subsidized houses is carried out without strict study and supervision, this has the potential to cause new social problems. So subsidized houses must be appropriate, instead of being a trigger for slum settlements," said Irine.

Irine also agreed with a number of things conveyed by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY). When opening the International Conference of Infrastructure or the International Conference on Infrastructure (ICI) 2025 today, AHY emphasized the urgency of 'demographic clocks' and the continued worsening of the housing fulfillment backlog which has now reached tens of millions of units nationally.

"I agree with the statement of the Coordinating Minister, Mas AHY, especially about the 'demographic clock' points related to the housing fulfillment backlog that will continue to race. But with a note, it cannot arbitrarily increase the tax rate for landed residences that have been released and reduce the area of subsidized houses," he explained.

Irine also reminded that the approach taken by the government must be carried out comprehensively and fairly. In maximizing the subsidized housing program, he asked the government not only to pursue development figures.

"The construction of infrastructure and public housing is a long-term investment that must be managed carefully. Do not let the spirit of increasing houses actually cause new, bigger problems," concluded Irine.