Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka apologized to disaster victims during a visit to North Sumatra on Friday and said construction of permanent homes for affected residents would begin this month.
Gibran made the remarks while inspecting temporary housing in Napa village, South Tapanuli District, where residents displaced by floods and landslides in late November 2025 are still waiting for permanent homes.
The vice president listened to complaints from residents, particularly those who remain in temporary housing while awaiting safer and more permanent accommodation.
“I assure you that the government is continuing to fulfill its responsibility to accelerate construction so everyone can have certainty of a safer and more adequate place to live,” Gibran said.
The visit was aimed at ensuring post-disaster recovery in North Sumatra proceeds effectively and that problems faced by residents during the transition period are addressed promptly.
Gibran said housing needs must be addressed urgently, especially for residents who are still living in temporary shelters.
He said providing housing involves more than building homes, requiring authorities to ensure residents have safe accommodation and access to properly functioning basic facilities.
“A house is not just a building. We must ensure residents live safely, have functioning basic facilities, secure housing and can resume their lives properly,” Gibran said.
He also stressed that every complaint and problem identified on the ground should be followed up promptly through coordination between central and local governments.
Resolving those issues is essential to ensuring the recovery process meets residents’ needs, he said.
Construction of permanent homes for residents who are still waiting is scheduled to begin this month.
Gibran called for the construction process to be jointly monitored so work can begin promptly and residents can obtain safer, more adequate homes and greater certainty about their future.
Eti, a resident of the Napa temporary housing complex, said she was grateful for the shelter after previously having to rent a house.
But living in temporary housing has prevented her family’s daily activities and livelihoods from returning to normal, she said.
Before the floods, Eti worked as a farm laborer, while her husband worked as a public transportation driver.
“Life was better in the village. I could bathe, wash clothes, and go to the fields and rice paddies. Now, there is no work,” Eti said.
Despite the difficulties, Eti said she was grateful that the government had provided temporary housing for her family.
She hoped construction of permanent homes would begin soon so residents would not have to remain in temporary shelters for too long and could rebuild their lives in better conditions.
During Friday’s visit, Gibran inspected three housing sites for disaster-affected residents: Aek Parombunan permanent housing in Sibolga, Hapesong Baru Village permanent housing and Napa Village temporary housing in South Tapanuli.
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Translator: CGP, Maria Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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