By: Aurellia Syahputri )*
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the availability of adequate housing for disaster-affected communities in various regions of Sumatra. This policy is a crucial part of the national recovery agenda, which focuses on accelerating the construction of temporary and permanent housing, while simultaneously meeting the basic needs of residents during the emergency response period. The clear directive from the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, serves as the primary foundation for all relevant ministries and institutions to act quickly, coordinated, and prioritize the interests of the people.
To accelerate post-disaster recovery, the President issued direct instructions to his ministers to ensure the immediate completion of housing construction for affected residents. The government views the provision of housing as an urgent need that cannot be postponed, as it is directly related to the survival and security of the community. Therefore, the construction of temporary housing is being accelerated as an initial solution, while permanent housing is being prepared as a long-term recovery measure.
 
The President’s directive was reiterated by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, who stated that the President wants all construction of temporary and permanent housing for disaster-affected residents in Sumatra to be completed immediately. The government considers this accelerated construction to be crucial so that people can quickly occupy safe, decent, and humane housing, allowing social and economic activities to gradually resume.
 
The instruction was delivered after the President made in-person visits to several disaster-affected areas. These field visits are part of a leadership approach that emphasizes direct understanding of community conditions. By observing the situation on the ground, the President ensures that the policies taken truly align with the real needs of residents, not simply based on administrative reports.
 
In the national disaster management agenda, the President emphasized the need for swift and measured steps in realizing housing construction. The government views housing as not just a physical structure, but rather the foundation for the comprehensive recovery of community life. With the provision of decent housing, it is hoped that people can return to normal life, while also strengthening social resilience post-disaster.
 
To support the acceleration of housing development, the government is involving various strategic elements, including the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri). The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Suharyanto, stated that the involvement of the TNI and Polri aims to expedite the construction of temporary housing for disaster victims. This cross-agency synergy is expected to expedite the construction process while ensuring the quality of the housing constructed meets appropriate standards.
 
Type 36 temporary housing is planned to be built with a budget of around IDR 30 million per unit and is targeted for completion within six months. Meanwhile, permanent housing is being prepared with a budget of around IDR 60 million per unit as a long-term solution. This budget planning demonstrates the government’s commitment to providing housing that is not only quickly constructed but also safe and habitable for the community.
 
The government’s commitment is further strengthened by its readiness to provide land for housing development. The President emphasized that the interests of the people must be the top priority in post-disaster recovery efforts. The government expressed its readiness to take strategic steps, including temporary adjustments to Land Use Rights (Hak Guna Usaha), to ensure adequate land availability. This policy reflects the state’s commitment to the people and its determination to eliminate structural barriers to housing provision.
In addition to focusing on housing development, the government is asked to ensure the availability of supporting facilities and infrastructure in disaster-affected areas. The addition of heavy equipment, drinking water trucks, clean water supply, and portable toilets continues to be optimized, especially in the most severely affected areas, to ensure a decent standard of living during the emergency response period.
The emergency response to the hydrometeorological disaster that struck West Sumatra, Aceh, and North Sumatra continues to be ongoing. The central and regional governments are working intensively to expedite the construction of temporary housing for affected communities, while ensuring the smooth distribution of logistical assistance and basic services. Cross-sector coordination is key to ensuring the effective and sustainable implementation of the entire response process.
In the context of this national coordination, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, stated that disaster management is carried out by mobilizing all national resources. The central government, the provincial government, and the provincial government are working together to ensure the smooth distribution of basic services.Regional governments, security forces, and volunteers on the ground are working together with a single goal. With the disaster’s extensive scope across three provinces, the emergency response remains ongoing, while the construction of temporary housing is being accelerated and directed towards a direct transition to permanent housing.
Overall, the government’s instructions and policies demonstrate its strong commitment to accelerating post-disaster recovery in Sumatra. By ensuring the availability of adequate housing, the fulfillment of basic needs, and solid national cooperation, the government is striving to restore people’s lives to a better, more stable, and more sustainable condition, with the interests of the people as its top priority.
)* The author is a Jakarta student living in Bandung
