Ara Learns to India and China, But Reminds Indonesia Not to Become a Cheap House Market

Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Maruarar Sirait. (Teddy VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning Maruarar Sirait or Ara opened the opportunity to study in India and China to accelerate the 3 million house program. However, he emphasized that cooperation should not make Indonesia just a market.

Ara said the government needed to study how other countries managed housing programs on a large scale. India and China are two countries of interest.

"India and the People's Republic of China, maybe we are two. So it is something we need to study," said Ara at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Friday, July 31.

According to Ara, studies and cooperation with other countries must still place national interests as the main basis. He said Indonesia must get real benefits, not just become a buyer of technology or a market for foreign products.

"Don't make Indonesia just a market," he said.

Ara said housing cooperation must bring technology. The government, said Ara, wants to see technology that is safe, fast, cheap, and still affordable for the community.

"There must be technology transfer. We look at safe technology, which is fast, and also cheap, affordable," said Ara.

He also emphasized the importance of involving local business actors in the housing program. Ara said that building materials from within the country, ranging from tiles, bricks, cement, to iron, must have a place.

"Our MSMEs must be a priority. Our tiles, our bricks, our cement, our iron," he said.

Ara said the government had previously also discussed with the Minister of Housing from China. According to Ara, Indonesia continues to learn and observe the way of managing housing from other countries.

"We always learn and observe, discuss how to manage it," said Ara.

On that occasion, Ara also touched on the launch of subsidized houses which were said to have reached 62,000 units at once. The program is spread across 160 points in 36 provinces and involves banks and developers.

"We are a subsidized house that yesterday's launch could be 62,000. That may be the largest," he said.

Ara said President Prabowo Subianto's support had accelerated the housing program. He cited the policy of exempting the Acquisition of Rights to Land and Building or BPHTB and Building Building Approval or PBG.

"The President has given BPHTB and PBG for free, it's amazing. That's a history," said Ara.

According to Ara, the acceleration of the 3 million house program is not enough to just chase the number. The government must also ensure that the technology used is safe, the cost remains affordable, and the local industry is alive.