Jakarta – The 3 million housing program, one of President Prabowo Subianto’s promises, is seen as a potential solution to relocate residents in flood-prone areas.
Political Communication Analyst, Hendri Satrio (Hensat), stated that this program could serve as a long-term solution to reduce the impact of recurring floods in various regions, such as Jakarta and Bekasi.
“There needs to be a comprehensive audit of housing construction permits in flood-prone areas. Many houses are built in high-risk areas, like flood-prone embankment breach zones, so every time a flood occurs, there are many casualties and material losses,” said Hensat.
He proposed that some of the 3 million homes should be allocated for the relocation of residents affected by floods during periods of high rainfall. However, he noted that relocation alone would not be enough. The areas that have been abandoned should be transformed into water absorption zones, such as lakes or ponds.
“After the residents are relocated, the former flood-prone areas should be demolished and turned into lakes, like Lake Galaksi or Lake Nusa Indah. This would not only reduce the risk of flooding but also create green open spaces that are beneficial,” he added.
Hensat hopes that this proposal will be taken into account when drafting spatial planning and disaster management policies. He also emphasized the importance of evaluating housing construction permits to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP), Maruarar Sirait, mentioned that President Prabowo Subianto will soon announce an additional housing quota for low-income communities (MBR). This is part of the government’s continued commitment to providing decent housing at affordable prices.
“In the near future, the President will announce the additional housing quota. Subsidized homes are in high demand from the public, and banks also support them because of the low tax credit on loans,” said Maruarar.
Since the Red and White Cabinet began working on October 20, 2024, until March 3, 2025, 110,000 MBR homes have been built and handed over to the public. The government targets the construction of 220,000 MBR homes according to the allocated budget.
However, Maruarar revealed two challenges in this program: ensuring the subsidies are accurately targeted and maintaining the quality of the buildings. To address this, the Ministry of PKP is collaborating with Bappenas and BPS to ensure the recipients of subsidies meet the criteria.
In addition, a special curatorial team has been established to oversee the quality of the homes. Maruarar cited an example in Bekasi, where some subsidized homes faced issues like uneven floors and flooding due to poor access. He stressed that despite being subsidized, the homes must still be of high quality so that people can live comfortably.
