Apersi To Build 50,000 Units Of Haouse For Workers

Jakarta, May 10 (Antara) - The Indonesian Association of Housing and Settlement Development(Apersi) has pledged to build 50,000 units of houses for workers this year. "We have set a target to build around 50,000 units of house for workers all over Indonesia," Apersi general chairman Eddy Ganefo said in a release issued by the Public Housing Ministry, said here on Thursday. Eddy said the houses would be built close to industrial estates to save transport cost for those working at the companies in the industrial estates. Housing is one of the basic needs for anyone including for workers, he said, adding with houses available the workers could focus more on their job. "The houses would be built near industrial estates which are found almost in all regions of the country," he said. However, in the first phase Aspersi plans to build the houses around industrial estates in Bekasi, Karawang, Cikampek, Cirebon and Banten. Edy said Aspersi is encouraging its members to focus more on building low cost houses for low income people. He said Aspersi hopes for support from employers to help in providing houses for their workers, adding support is also expected from regional or district administrations in development license. "Every year Apersi could have 200 new developers for low cost houses," he said. Meanwhile, general chairman of the Indonesian Real Estate Companies (REI) Setyo Maharso said REI has a target to build 400,000 units of houses this year and half of which are for low income people. He said around 60 percent of the houses would be built in Java and 40 percent in other islands. "Around 142,000 units are already built including houses for low income people who are entitled to Housing Financing Liquidity Facility (FLPP) with fund from the state budget," he said. The public housing ministry has cooperated with REI and Apersi, and pledged to help facilitate the growth of the property industry with low cost houses. "The public housing ministry will continue to cooperate with REI in drafting regulation to facilitate the business players in building low cost houses," the secretary of the ministry Rildo Ananda Anwar said. Last year, the ministry contributed by building infrastructure and facilities and utilities such as roads, water canals, power supply for 241 units of house now still in the process of construction, Rildo said. The ministry also asked developers to be more active in asking for information about and utilize facilities, he said. Rildo said he hopes demand for houses fit to live in could be fulfilled in various areas in the country. Cooperation with other institutions The public housing ministry has also cooperated with other institutions such as state oil and gas company PT Pertamina and state electricity company PLN to utilize idle lands of the two companies for low cost apartment houses in urban areas. "The main problem in building low cost apartment houses in urban areas is the land price being too expensive," Public Housing Minister Djan Faridz said. Djan Faridz said the idle lands of the two companies could be used to build low cost apartment houses for their workers and other low income people. The ministry has also sought to cooperate with a number of other state companies to utilize their idle lands , he said. "High population growth , limited availability of land space and skyrocketing prices of lands make it difficult in securing land for low cost housing projects in urban areas," he said. The ministry has issued a series of programs to help low income people to renovate their houses such as housing stimulant aid (BSPS), which has been target of illegal levies "The ministry does not expect illegal levies on BSPS for the people," a deputy at the ministry Jamil Ansari said. Jamil Ansari said aid in BSPS for a unit of house is Rp7.5 million for house repair . The people will receive the fund through state lender Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) without any cut, he said, adding the fund could be withdrawn by groups in the presence of village chiefs and security men. He said implementation of the program will begin systematically this year from the levels of village to sub-district and regency. The public housing ministry is working on a draft law on People Housing Saving expected to be a solution to problem in providing houses for the people. The public housing ministry and a number of other related agencies such as the labor ministry have submitted 484 point revision of the draft law on People Housing Saving. The government has approved the revision and it has been submitted to Special Committee of the House of Representatives to be discussed further . The ministry has also asked all district administrations in the country to open their district office for public housing . Some of the district areas have not yet had their own public housing office that it would be difficult for the public housing ministry to carry out its program in some of the regions.