Permanent Housing for Residents Affected by the Sumatra Disaster Begins to be Built

LANGKAT - The government together with the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation has started to build permanent housing (huntap) for affected victims in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held by the Minister of Housing and Settlements (PKP) Maruarar Sirait together with the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation in Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Sunday, December 21.

A total of 2,603 units of permanent housing are ready to be built in the initial phase and will be implemented in December 2025 even though it is still in the emergency response phase. The construction of this permanent housing is part of the post-disaster recovery program implemented in an integrated manner by the central government, local government, and involving cross-ministry and agency support.

The Minister of Public Order emphasized that this step is a direct trust of the President of the Republic of Indonesia as a manifestation of the state's presence for people affected by disasters. In the city of Sibolga, the construction of permanent housing for flood victims also officially began after the city government and the local DPRD agreed to donate land for the benefit of the community.

The Minister of PKP appreciated the rapid steps taken by the local government in supporting the acceleration of development.

In detail, the location and number of permanent housing construction that has begun include: Central Tapanuli Regency 118 permanent housing units, Sibolga City 200 permanent housing units, and North Tapanuli Regency 103 permanent housing units.

In addition to the three cities, the South Tapanuli region also started building huntap, it's just that how many units will be built are still waiting for data from the local government.

Minister of PKP Maruarar Sirait also asked for support from all parties, including PLN, BNPB, and local governments, so that the provision of basic infrastructure, land certificates, and governance of development can be completed on time so that the residence can immediately be inhabited by the community.