Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian on Friday urged regional governments to swiftly submit accurate data on residents affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra and to ensure land readiness so permanent housing construction can begin without delay.
“The faster the land can be prepared to be clear and clean, the faster we can move forward,” Tito said in a statement.
He explained that “clear and clean” land refers to plots with secure legal status, free of disputes and technically feasible for construction.
Beyond legal certainty, the proposed sites must meet environmental standards and be located near social and economic centers, including markets, schools, places of worship and logistics access, to support residents’ long-term livelihoods.
Tito said the central government is working with various partners, including the Indonesia chapter of the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation, to build 2,600 permanent houses for disaster victims in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.
The homes are intended for families whose houses were destroyed or suffered severe damage during the floods and landslides that struck the three provinces in late November 2025.
According to the minister, the pace of construction will largely depend on the readiness of local administrations, particularly in completing verified data on beneficiaries and securing suitable land.
Groundbreaking for permanent housing has already begun in several areas of North Sumatra, he said.
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Similar construction is expected to start soon in Aceh and West Sumatra once land preparation is completed and local governments finalize their data on affected residents.
Tito urged regional leaders to make land preparation a top priority, warning that delays at the local level could slow overall recovery efforts.
President Prabowo Subianto has previously instructed that post-disaster reconstruction prioritize the use of government-owned land, whether held by the central government, regional administrations or state-owned enterprises.
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In addition to the collaborative housing program, Tito said the government has also prepared a separate plan funded by the state budget to build a much larger number of housing units.
He stressed that assistance would not be limited to families who lost their homes, noting that support schemes have also been prepared for residents whose houses sustained moderate and light damage.
The minister said the government is committed to ensuring that all disaster-affected residents receive appropriate support as recovery and reconstruction efforts continue across Sumatra.
