Gov’t to Improve Uninhabitable Houses in West Sulawesi

House Renovation Program in West Sulawesi Province. (Photo by: Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR))

The Government has announced it continues to reduce the number of uninhabitable houses (RTLH) across the country, including 3,500 homes in West Sulawesi through the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program (BSPS).

Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has allocated Rp4.35 trillion for the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program this year to improve the quality of 208,000 uninhabitable houses and to rebuild 12,000 homes worth Rp459 billion.

According to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program is implemented with a Cash Labor-Intensive scheme to mitigate the COVID-19 impacts, including to maintain the people’s purchasing power and to reduce the unemployment rate due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Government is concerned about the people who need a house and those who have lost their sources of income in several regions. We expected to improve the people’s quality of life by providing them more proper, comfortable, and healthier homes,” the Minister said.

A total of 3,500 units included in the 2020 Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program for West Sulawesi. There are two phases of construction projects, including the first phase with 2,500 units and the second phase with 1,000 units.

The improvement of housing quality is carried out by taking into account the quality of building construction, the health of residents by meeting the standards of adequate light and air circulation, as well as the availability of proper toilets and the circulation space to enable convenient movement in the house.

In the first phase, the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program of West Sulawesi Province was implemented in several areas, Mamuju regency with 350 units, Mamasa regency with 300 units, Central Mamuju regency with 500 units, Pasangkayu regency with 450 units, Polewali Mandar regency with 300 units, and Majene regency with 600 units.

“The total budget for the first phase of the program in West Sulawesi amounted to Rp43.75 billion, while the second phase at Rp17.5 billion for 1,000 units.

To date, the Government has disseminated information regarding the implementation of the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance program in Mamuju and Majene agencies. A number of regencies are prepared for construction work, including Pasangkayu, Central Mamuju, Mamasa, and Polewali Mandar.

The implementation of the program is still carried out with the COVID-19 Health Protocol. For instance, reducing the number of people in the community consultation meeting, Field Facilitators (TFL) are required to wear facial masks when accompanying the beneficiaries, as well as providing hand sanitizers on the ground.

For the record, the implementation of the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance program refers to the Technical Guidelines that have been issued by Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing on the protocol of the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance program amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (BKP Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing / EN)

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas