The president has reminded the government of its responsibility to simplify licensing processes."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged regional governments to simplify and reduce the number of procedures involved in obtaining housing construction licenses from the current 20 to 40 stages to only 10.

"The president has reminded the government of its responsibility to simplify licensing processes," Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuldjono said at the Presidential Palace here on Tuesday.

The president made the statement while receiving members of the executive board of Real Estate Indonesia (REI).

Led by REI Chairman Eddy Hussy, the association conveyed a number of suggestions to Jokowi regarding housing construction to support the governments One Million Houses program.

REI supports the program and will build 247 thousand houses. It suggested that the procedures to obtain housing construction licenses be reduced to 10 stages only.

"The president has asked the suggestion to be followed up," Hadimuldjono pointed out.

The housing developers also suggested allowing foreigners ownership of houses or apartments in Indonesia.

"This subject of foreign ownership is being discussed by the government, by the Finance Ministry in particular. Providing them residential permits after they buy property in the country is also being considered," the minister noted.

Moreover, REI has also asked the government to review the policy of allowing one group to possess not more than 400 hectares of land in a province.

"The president might permit ownership of more than 400 hectares of land on the condition that the housing project should be realized immediately," the minister explained.

The government is determined to realize the One Million Houses program, launched officially on April 30 by President Jokowi.

Coinciding with National Labor Day, the launch was held in Ungaran, Semarang district, Central Java province. It was followed by the simultaneous launch of the program in 17 provinces all ready to support it.

President Jokowi has, in fact, set an ambitious target of building 10 million houses for low-income people by 2019, or two million houses annually.

In addition, the government will start working on reducing a backlog of some 13.5 million housing units this year by implementing the program.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2015