Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Fahri Hamzah has said that Indonesia is aiming to build one million vertical housing units in urban areas with Qatari investment.
According to him, vertical housing is designed to provide habitable accommodation for people belonging to the lower middle class in urban areas, considering that some of them live in inhabitable slum areas.
"That is around one million units for vertical housing," he informed after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday.
The MoU was signed by Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Maruarar Sirait and Qatari investor Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Thani, who is also part of the Qatari royal family.
Sirait listed several locations prepared for the project, namely densely populated areas in Jakarta, Banten, and West Java.
In Jakarta, the locations prepared include the Kalibata, Senayan, and Kemayoran areas.
The lands are state assets that are currently managed by state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and ministries/institutions.
"The MoU scheme is government-to-government. We are hoping this project can start immediately. If necessary, tomorrow, we will go to the field to check the location," Sirait said.
The planned housing budget for 2025 is Rp5.07 trillion (over USD312 million). It will include an allocation of around Rp1.2 trillion for the development of Nusantara, Indonesia's new capital in East Kalimantan, he added.
On the same occasion, Al Thani emphasized his and his government's commitment to support Indonesia's housing development program.
"We will work professionally with all parties behind us. I hope with the support of the President and everyone here, the project will be successful," he said.
He also relayed a message from the King of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, saying that Indonesia and Qatar have strong relations and he will support Indonesia in various sectors, including business.
The Prabowo-Gibran administration has set an ambitious target to build three million homes per year, primarily for low-income people.
