By: Astrid Widia )*
The additional allocation of subsidized housing through the Housing Financing Liquidity Facility Home Ownership Credit (KPR FLPP) program of 8,000 units is concrete evidence that the state is not sitting idly by in answering the basic needs of the community, especially drivers and employees of the Blue Bird Group. Behind these figures, there is a great enthusiasm to improve the welfare of the transportation sector workers who have been the backbone of urban mobility.
This policy not only touches on the economic aspect, but also has a long-term social impact by providing a sense of security and ownership of a decent place to live. It is time for this kind of attention to be transmitted to other sectors so that social justice can be increasingly felt.
Maruarar Sirait as Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas made an important breakthrough by increasing the quota of subsidized housing in the KPR FLPP program, from the previous 5,000 units to a total of 8,000 units. This addition is based on the high enthusiasm of Blue Bird Group drivers and employees who do need decent and affordable housing.
The locations of these subsidized houses are spread across various regions in Indonesia, providing a more equal opportunity for workers to own a home without having to be trapped in a cycle of contracts that drain their income every month.
At the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the Blue Bird Driver and Employee Housing Program in Jakarta, Maruarar was not only present symbolically, but also directly handed over the house keys to the beneficiaries and had a dialogue with the drivers who felt that their lives had changed because of this program.
He emphasized that having a private home is much better than continuing to rent, which ultimately does not provide long-term certainty. He gave a concrete illustration of how drivers previously had to set aside IDR 800 thousand to IDR 1.2 million per month just to rent a place to live. With the FLPP KPR scheme, the installment amount is fixed and more affordable, and allows them to legally own a home within a period of 15 years.
Blue Bird Group President Director Adrianto Djokosoetono was also present at the signing of the memorandum of understanding with Maruarar Sirait, where both officially agreed to add 3,000 subsidized housing units, bringing the total allocated number to 8,000 units. This program is in line with the government’s big target, namely the 3 Million Homes Program promoted by President Prabowo Subianto.
Adrianto emphasized that the company has opened registration for drivers who want to own a house through this subsidy scheme, and it was recorded that almost 3,000 registrants have shown interest. This is an indicator that this policy is well received and answers real needs in the field. Blue Bird President Commissioner Bayu Priawan Djokosoetono also expressed his appreciation for the government’s attention. According to him, Maruarar’s direct presence at the Blue Bird office is a symbol that the state is present in the lives of working people.
He emphasized that housing is a basic need that must be met, and through this collaboration, Blue Bird is ready to be an active partner of the government in making the national housing program a success. He also assessed that the increase in the government’s subsidized housing quota would open up wider opportunities for employees and drivers to significantly improve their standard of living.
However, Maruarar’s attention did not stop at the housing sector alone. The day after the event with Blue Bird, he signed a memorandum of understanding with the leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission at the Red and White Building in Jakarta. The collaboration between the Ministry of PKP and the KPK was intended to strengthen efforts to prevent corruption within the ministry he led.
One of the crucial things in the agreement included a request for additional human resource personnel from the KPK to oversee the implementation of development and management of various programs in the ministry so that they run transparently. Maruarar said that the request for three additional personnel received a direct positive response from the KPK leadership. This collaboration includes the exchange of data and information, increasing human resource capacity, and utilizing state confiscated goods in the context of equitable development.
KPK Secretary General Cahya Hardianto Harefa ensured that his institution was ready to provide full support. He said that one personnel had previously been placed at the Ministry of PKP, and with the addition of three more people, supervision and assistance could be carried out more comprehensively.
This commitment marks the holistic approach that Maruarar is trying to implement in the governance of his ministry. He is not only focused on physical development in the form of subsidized housing, but also trying to create a work environment free from corrupt practices.si. That way, government programs can run more efficiently, right on target, and produce real impacts for the wider community.
Housing policies that target workers such as taxi drivers not only solve housing problems, but also provide space for the community to grow socially and economically. The community now needs to respond by supporting and monitoring this policy so that its benefits can be felt more widely and evenly in the future.
)* The author is a Public Policy Observer
