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Korea Herald
24-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Tiny homes for Indonesia's young urbanites draw criticism over livability
JAKARTA, Indonesia (Jakarta Post/ANN) -- The government's proposal to develop compact, subsidized housing for urban youth is facing growing criticism from both experts and potential occupants, who say the poor design and cramped living conditions of these "mini houses" could jeopardize their inhabitants' physical and psychological well-being. The Public Housing and Settlements Ministry last week showcased two prototype units at Lippo Mall Nusantara in South Jakarta. The homes, which are slated for development in Jakarta and the surrounding cities of Bekasi, Bogor, Depok and Tangerang in partnership with real estate giant Lippo Group, have a starting price of $6,121 and can reach up to $8,570, depending on location and size. The single-bedroom unit measures just 14 square meters and sits on a 25-square-meter plot, featuring a living room and a bathroom, while the larger double-bedroom unit offers 23.4 square meters of floor space on a 26.3-square-meter plot that includes a living room and two bathrooms. Each unit also comes with a carport nearly as large as the living area. "These smaller homes aim to attract young people, particularly Gen Zers who wish to [live] closer to their workplace in minimalist and affordable homes in urban areas," Urban Housing Director Sri Haryati said. Substandard space However, critics say the mini houses fall far short of acceptable standards and could do more harm than good. Observers have noted that their design lacks basic features such as proper lighting and ventilation, key elements of livable housing. These compact units also appear to violate existing regulations. Under a 2023 decree of the Public Works and Housing Ministry, a subsidized house must occupy a 60-200-square-meter plot and its minimum building area must cover 21 square meters. They also fail to meet the international standards of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), which require a living area of at least 30 square meters per house. "This proposal represents a step backward in the fulfillment of the right to a decent home," Tulus Abadi, chairman of the Indonesian Empowered Consumers Forum, said in a statement. "A house is not just a shelter. It is a space that supports physical health, emotional stability, family life and overall well-being." Tulus added that such tiny homes were unsuited to long-term human habitation, as they did not have the capacity to accommodate the evolving needs of growing families. Eventually, their occupants might abandon them, leaving behind empty dwellings and deteriorating neighborhoods. The FKBI has urged the government to abandon its plan to build mini houses and instead focus on developing affordable, livable vertical housing, especially in space-constrained urban areas like Greater Jakarta. "We don't need cheap homes that diminish the human spirit. We need decent housing that upholds dignity," Tulus said. "Don't chase the target of 3 million homes at the expense of basic human values." A draft ministerial decree leaked at the beginning of June revealed a proposal to downsize subsidized homes from a minimum 60-square-meter plot to just 25 square meters and a minimum 21-square-meter building area to 18 square meters. Sri Haryati defended the proposed size reduction, saying it aimed to address the national housing backlog of 9.9 million units, 80 percent of which were in urban areas. The proposed downsizing was previously questioned by the public housing task force led by presidential adviser Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who is also the younger brother of President Prabowo Subianto. The Housing Minister Maruarar "Ara" Sirait said he had explained the plan to Hashim, whom he described as "really helpful" to the program. Demanding real solutions For Rahma, a university student who lives in Depok, owning such a tiny home is simply not viable. "I saw the display unit, and I couldn't even imagine stretching out comfortably in it," she said. Rahma added that she would rather spend more money to rent a larger space than live in something that could harm her physical and mental health. A 2024 survey by consulting firm Inventure Indonesia found that two out of three Gen Z respondents expressed pessimism about the prospect of buying a house in the next three years, citing soaring real estate prices as the biggest obstacle. Urban planning experts say the government's housing policy is driven by market logic rather than living needs. Anwar Basil Arifin, head of research at Menemukenali Project, a media platform focusing on urban advocacy, said the government should prioritize house designs that met health and safety standards that were also easy to navigate. Speaking on Sunday at the Jakarta Future Festival 2025, which ran from June 13 to 15 at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Menteng, Central Jakarta, Anwar highlighted that the key to the city's housing strategy was transit-oriented development.
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Mum's gruesome death as she's killed and swallowed whole by gigantic python
The woman, 54, became the second person in Indonesia to be killed and digested by the snake species in just over a year as the animal is not known to attack humans A mum met a horrific end after she was killed and then eaten whole by a python. The woman, who lived inin a village in Indonesia, became the second person in the country to be killed and digested by the snake species in just over a year. Wa Tiba, 54, left her home on Muna island to visit her cornfield when she vanished, as reported by the Jakarta Post. The field was about 800m from her house in an area that was surrounded by caves, cliffs and several reticulated pythons - the longest snakes in the world. Pythons usually digest small mammals with attacks on humans supposed to be as rare as winning the lottery and being struck by lightning at the same time, according to a Washington Post report. However, back in 2017, the year before Wa's horrific death, a man's body was extracted from a 23-foot-long python, shown in a gruesome YouTube video, reports the Mirror US. Tiba had been worried about wild boars, not snakes, as she walked through her cornfield that night, reported the Jakarta Post. The pigs had been raiding the crops before she disappeared, which is why she had decided to conduct the inspection of her field. When she had not returned by sunrise, her sister set out to the field in an effort to look for her. But when she arrived there, her sibling found only Tiba's footprints, her torch, a machete and slippers. About 100 people from the village of Persiapan Lawela soon joined in the search as they gathered together to comb the fields, Agence France-Presse reported. The snake was found a few dozen yards from Tiba's belongings, reportedly measuring 23 feet in length and so bloated it could barely move. A long bulge midway down its body had an alarming look to it. The villagers killed the snake, laying it out on the ground. They then crowded around it, clamouring and crying, some recording videos as a man knelt and carefully cut across the bulge with a machete. He parted the snake flesh, revealing Tiba intact inside the snake, clothed just as she had been when she went to check her corn. Despite being intact, it's likely she didn't die inside the snake as reticulated pythons secure their prey with a bite, then wrap their body around the victim, squeezing until the victim cannot breathe, before consuming them, according to The Associated Press. It's incredibly rare for humans to be eaten, The Post wrote, stating that it's more common to see hoaxes. A single photo of a snake digesting a pig has previously been used to falsely claim attacks on humans in China, Africa and across Southeast Asia. The two victims in Indonesia were extremely unlucky to fall prey to this species of snake in what was described as very rare circumstances.
Daily Record
28-05-2025
- Daily Record
Mum found dead inside gigantic python which had swallowed her whole
Wa Tiba, 54, was found dead in a 23ft-long python in Indonesia after she went missing when she went to check on her cornfield, making her the second person in Indonesia to be killed and swallowed by a python in little over a year A mother met a horrific end after she was killed and subsequently consumed by a python. The woman, a resident of a village, became the second individual in Indonesia to be killed and digested by this species of snake in just over a year. 54-year-old Wa Tiba left her home on Muna island to check her cornfield when she disappeared, as reported by the Jakarta Post. The field, situated about 800m from her house, was surrounded by caves, cliffs and several reticulated pythons - the world's longest snakes. Pythons typically prey on small mammals, with attacks on humans being as rare as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning simultaneously, according to a report by the Washington Post. However, in 2017, the year prior to Wa's tragic death, a man's body was retrieved from a 23-foot-long python, as shown in a disturbing YouTube video, reports the Mirror US. Tiba had been worried about wild boars, not snakes, as she traversed her cornfield that night, the Jakarta Post reported. The pigs had been damaging the crops before she vanished, which is why she decided to inspect her field. When she failed to return by dawn, her sister ventured out to the field in an attempt to find her. Upon arrival, her sister discovered only Tiba's footprints, her torch, a machete and slippers. Approximately 100 villagers from Persiapan Lawela soon joined the search, combing the fields together, as reported by Agence France-Presse. The snake was found a few dozen yards from Tiba's belongings, reportedly measuring 23 feet long and so bloated it could barely move. A disturbing bulge midway down its body was clearly visible. The villagers killed the snake and laid it out on the ground. They gathered around it, some recording videos as a man carefully cut across the bulge with a machete. In a chilling echo of an incident on another island a year earlier, Tiba was found intact inside the snake, dressed as she had been when she went to check her corn. Despite being found whole, it is unlikely that she died inside the snake. Reticulated pythons typically secure their prey with a bite, then wrap their bodies around the victim, squeezing until the victim cannot breathe, before consuming them, according to The Associated Press. Human consumption by snakes is so rare, The Post noted, that hoaxes are more common. A single photo of a snake digesting a pig has previously been used to falsely claim attacks on humans in China, Africa and across Southeast Asia. The two victims in Indonesia were extraordinarily unfortunate to fall prey to this species of snake under such rare circumstances.
Irish Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mum's horror death after being eaten by python who swallowed her whole
A mother met a horrifying end after she was killed and subsequently consumed by a python. The woman, a resident of a village, became the second individual in Indonesia to be killed and digested by this species of snake in just over a year. 54 year old Wa Tiba left her home on Muna Island to check on her cornfield when she disappeared, as reported by the Jakarta Post. The field, located approximately 800m from her house, was surrounded by caves, cliffs and several reticulated pythons - the world's longest snakes. Attacks on humans by pythons, which typically prey on small mammals, are supposed to be as rare as winning the lottery and being struck by lightning simultaneously, according to a report by the Washington Post. However, in 2017, the year prior to Wa's tragic death, a man's body was retrieved from a 23-foot-long python, as shown in a disturbing YouTube video, reports the Mirror US. According to the Jakarta Post, Tiba had been worried about wild boars, not snakes, as she walked through her cornfield that night. The pigs had been damaging the crops before she vanished, prompting her to inspect her field. When she failed to return by dawn, her sister ventured out to the field to search for her. Upon arrival, her sister discovered only Tiba's footprints, her torch, a machete and slippers. Approximately 100 villagers from Persiapan Lawela soon joined the search, combing the fields together, as reported by Agence France-Presse. The snake was found a few dozen yards from Tiba's belongings. Reportedly, it was 23 feet long and so bloated it could barely move. A long bulge midway down its body had an alarming appearance. The villagers killed the snake and laid it out on the ground. They then gathered around it, clamouring and crying, with some recording videos as a man knelt and carefully cut across the bulge with a machete. In a scene reminiscent of an incident on another island a year earlier, Tiba lay intact inside the snake, dressed as she had been when she went to check her corn. Despite being intact, she likely didn't die inside the snake as reticulated pythons secure their prey with a bite, then wrap their body around the victim, squeezing until the victim cannot breathe, before consuming them, according to The Associated Press. It's so rare for humans to be eaten, The Post wrote, that it's more common to see hoaxes. A single photo of a snake digesting a pig has previously been used to falsely claim attacks on humans in China, Africa and across Southeast Asia. The two victims in Indonesia were extremely unlucky to fall prey to this species of snake in what was described as very rare circumstances.
The Star
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Indonesian government races against time to launch Sekolah Rakyat aimed at providing free education for underprivileged children
JAKARTA (Jakarta Post/ANN): The government is moving at full speed to prepare for the launch of President Prabowo Subianto 's flagship education initiative, Sekolah Rakyat (community school), which aims to provide free boarding school education to underprivileged children from elementary to secondary levels. With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline. However, as the Public Works Ministry scrambles to retrofit dozens of facilities and the Social Affairs Ministry accelerates staffing efforts, critics warn that the program's foundation remains shaky, with key questions about planning, quality and inclusivity left unanswered. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf says the new schools for the program will provide facilities on a par with top-tier institutions without tests on academic performance or IQ, which often restrict access to quality education. 'The only requirement to enter a Sekolah Rakyat is that the children come from poor families and have a willingness to learn,' Saifullah said on Wednesday in a statement on the ministry's website. But many are skeptical that the government's timeline allows for the delivery of meaningful quality education or a thorough assessment of students' needs. The Public Works Ministry began 65 renovation projects in early May, followed by another 35 scheduled projects, which aim to convert buildings managed by the Social Affairs Ministry or the local government into Sekolah Rakyat facilities. But the renovation drive sparked a public backlash last week after it displaced visually impaired students from a century-old special needs school to make way for the programme. The school is located in a rehabilitation center run by the Social Affairs Ministry in Bandung, West Java, part of which is being converted into a community school. In response to the criticism, the government has pledged to return the students to their former school once renovations are complete, adding that part of the new facility will be dedicated to accommodating visually impaired students. Meanwhile, the ministry has launched an online recruitment interview to select principals from a pool of 160. Successful candidates will then join a training program provided by the ministry, followed by an internship at existing schools that share the values of the Sekolah Rakyat programme. The online recruitment, managed in collaboration with the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry, will then proceed with the selection of dormitory supervisors, wardens and teachers. Schools minister Abdul Mu'ti said on Wednesday that teachers would be selected from those currently working at schools rather than new graduates, Antara reported. The final quota for Sekolah Rakyat staff would depend on the number of schools ready to open by July, he added. Mohammad Nuh, who chairs the Sekolah Rakyat Formation Team, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the new program would use a three-stage curriculum framework geared toward developing the unique talents of each student. The first stage begins in June, when students arrive at the boarding schools, and is designed to evaluate their physical fitness and health, as well as academic abilities. The second stage begins when the school year starts in July, with all students following the national curriculum. The third stage runs concurrently with a special curriculum for evening classes developed by the Social Affairs Ministry, which focuses on character development, religious and civic values, digital literacy and essential life skills. 'The main point is talent mapping, as we want to develop each student's unique talents,' Nuh said. Fikri Muslim, an education expert with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), criticized Sekolah Rakyat as a hastily executed program with a political bent. 'The only real urgency seems to be fulfilling President Prabowo's campaign promise,' Fikri said on Thursday. He also questioned the use of repurposed buildings located far from the low-income communities they aimed to serve and chastised the recruitment scheme as poaching teachers from areas already struggling with shortages. Itje Chodidjah from the nonprofit Center for Education and Policy Studies (PSPK) warned the program risked doing more harm than good by isolating disadvantaged children in boarding schools disconnected from their families and communities. 'A big hindrance to their development is that they [will] feel mentally insecure outside their immediate family and community,' Itje said on Thursday. 'Sequestering dozens of [students] into a single compound could make them feel even more isolated.' She urged the government to address the psychosocial needs of disadvantaged children, not just focus on their intellectual and physical development. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
