The Chief Of The Anak Dalam Tribe Expresses Happiness In Receiving A House From PUPR, Not Afraid Of Being Hit By A Tree While Sleeping

A special house for the Suku Anak Dalam community in Merangin Regency, Jambi (Photo: ANTARA/HO-Directorate General of Housing, Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has built 23 special type 28 housing units in Merangin Regency, Jambi, which are now inhabited by the Orang Rimba.

With this development, the Ministry of PUPR hopes that ethnic children in Indonesia and the Indonesian community in general can own and live in decent houses.

"Several housing development programs implemented by the PUPR Ministry include flats, self-help housing, distribution of subsidized housing PSU assistance and special houses," said Director General of Housing at the Ministry of PUPR Khalawi Abdul Hamid in a press release in Jakarta, Antara, Saturday, July 10.

Khalawi said there are several priority targets for the construction of special houses. The first is a special house for disaster-affected communities. Second, people affected by government programs, and third are those who live in border areas and those who live on outer islands, remote and underdeveloped areas (3T).

The implementation of the construction of special houses, said Khalawi, also touched people living in remote areas such as the Anak Dalam Tribe. Those who have been living in inadequate housing can now feel the fruits of the construction of the One Million Houses program.

"We hope that local governments and Ministries/Institutions can propose if there are people in their areas or employees who need housing assistance from the government. Please propose through the Housing Assistance Information System (SIBARU) so that they can accelerate the process of proposing assistance during this pandemic," he explained

In addition to Merangin Regency, the Directorate General of Housing, Ministry of PUPR has also built a special house for the Anak Dalam Tribe in Sarolangun Regency, totaling 57 units with 28 stages of type as well as a special house for low-income people (MBR) who work as fishermen in Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency as many as 50 units. type 28.

The Anak Dalam tribe or Orang Rimba or Orang Ulu are one of the minority ethnic groups living in Jambi Province. This tribe is still categorized as an 'isolated community' due to their living in the forest and moving from place to place.

Through the construction of a special house for the Orang Rimba in Merangin Regency, the government hopes that the life of the Orang Rimba, who usually move from place to place and live in the forest with only emergency tents, can change and have a better life. The children of the Anak Dalam tribe are now studying at school.

One of the chiefs of the Suku Anak Dalam tribe, Jhon, said that on behalf of the community, he was grateful for the housing assistance provided by the Ministry of PUPR.

He also said that now people can rest in a safe and comfortable place without being afraid of being hit by trees or being targeted by wild animals in the forest.

"We are aware that since living in this special house our lives have also changed and now the children are also in school. We hope the government can continue to guide us to have a better life," he hoped.