Speaking to reporters after a media gathering in Jakarta on Tuesday, BP Taskin Head Budiman Sudjatmiko emphasized that urban poverty issues primarily stem from unequal distribution of decent property among residents rather than limited access to education and information.
"For example, people in Tangerang City, Banten, tend to possess limited assets although they have adequate access to education and information. It is crucial that we enhance land management to facilitate more residents acquiring a house," he pointed out.
The BP Taskin head then cited a report from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), which showed that 34.75 percent of Indonesian households lived in uninhabitable homes with poor construction quality and limited access to adequate sanitation.
He also emphasized the importance of all relevant institutions and stakeholders aligning their visions and steps to promptly address the housing problem among economically weak citizens.
That said, Sudjatmiko noted that the BP Taskin will play a central role in collecting and compiling data on poverty-stricken areas, while responsibility for the construction aspect rests with the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning and the Ministry of Housing and Settlements.
Furthermore, the official highlighted that his agency intends to initially prioritize housing-centered poverty alleviation measures in 17 districts and cities experiencing severe housing backlogs.
"That's for the initial phase, while our target is to cover additional districts and cities every month, gradually increasing the number to 28, 30, or even 40," Sudjatmiko remarked.
He also expressed hope that all cross-sector programs will run optimally according to the set timeline to accelerate the alleviation of poverty across the country.
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Translator: M. Riezko, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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