Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Jakarta – Housing and Settlement Minister Maruarar "Ara" Sirait announced that four prominent business tycoons have pledged support to advance the government's ambitious 3-million-homes initiative.
"Last night, I invited four major business figures to my home. I am pleased that from these groups – Barito Group's Prajogo Pangestu, Adaro Group's Garibaldi Boy Thohir, Sinarmas Group's Franky Widjaja, and Agung Sedayu Group's Sugianto 'Aguan' Kusuma – all are committed to building homes for the people of Indonesia," Ara said on Monday.
These four are often referred to as members of the "9 Dragons," a group of influential tycoons in Indonesia, largely from the Chinese-Indonesian community. Other notable members of this group include Robert Budi Hartono of Djarum Group, Anthony Salim of Indofood Group, Dato Sri Tahir of Mayapada Group, James Riady of Lippo Group, and Tommy Winata of Artha Graha Group.
In 2025, the ministry allocated only Rp 5 trillion for the housing sector, a substantial decrease from Rp 14 trillion in 2024. With this budget, the housing program can build only about 200,000 units this year. Maruarar noted that additional support from non-state budget sources is essential to reach the target of 3 million homes.
In support of the housing program, Ara has donated 2.5 hectares of his own land in Tangerang, Banten, for development specifically for low-income families. "Hopefully, in the next eight months, we can hand over keys to hundreds of families," he said.
Ara elaborated that the initiative aims to create an inclusive community that provides affordable housing for teachers, military personnel, police officers, civil servants, and the general public. "We want this program to serve as a model that benefits a diverse cross-section of society equitably," he added.
Ara plans to utilize land seized by the Attorney General's Office and collaborate with state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to make use of underutilized land assets.
The program aligns with ongoing efforts to address Indonesia's critical housing shortage. According to Real Estate Indonesia (REI) Chairman Joko Suranto, the country has a deficit of 12.7 million housing units, an issue that has persisted for more than a decade.