Indonesia Pushes Housing as Part of Nation-Building Vision

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is positioning housing development as part of a broader nation-building agenda, linking affordable homes with social welfare, cultural identity, and long-term national development. The vision was highlighted during the launch and discussion of the book "Indonesia Menuju Swasembada Papan 2045" in Jakarta, Thursday, 21, May 2026.

Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, attended the event and praised the book’s author, Vice Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Fahri Hamzah. He described the book as offering a comprehensive roadmap for Indonesia’s future housing landscape.

Fadli Zon explained the book addresses housing issues in Indonesia within a broader social and cultural context. He emphasized that access to housing should be viewed not only as infrastructure development, but also as a fundamental human right tied to national well-being.

The Minister also referred to Indonesia’s founding figure Mohammad Hatta, saying national independence should ultimately lead to people’s happiness. He noted that prosperity depends on access to food, clothing, housing, healthcare, and social protection.

The minister further stressed that the ideas presented in the book align with Indonesia’s Constitution, particularly Article 33, which mandates that the country’s natural resources be managed for public welfare. He linked the housing agenda with President Prabowo Subianto’s broader national development direction.

“In the President’s speech at Parliament on May 20, it was clearly stated that Indonesia must return to the values of the 1945 Constitution, especially Article 33,” Fadli said. He added that social housing should become one of the key ways the state delivers prosperity for its people.

The discussion also brought together experts from the housing, architecture, and urban studies sectors, including architect Marco Kusumawijaya. He argued that the state must play a larger role in stabilizing housing access as purchasing power among lower-income groups continues to decline.

Senior housing figure Iskandar Saleh echoed the importance of social housing, especially for middle- and lower-income communities. Closing the event, Fadli Zon expressed hope that the book would encourage cross-ministerial collaboration to build sustainable social and cultural ecosystems through inclusive housing