Jakarta — Indra Utama, Chairman of the Indonesian National Development Planning Association (ABPEDNAS) and President of AREA Indonesia, expressed his high appreciation for the state address delivered by President Prabowo Subianto at the 2026 Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).
According to Indra Utama, President Prabowo’s speech demonstrated consistency and strong commitment to the interests of the people, particularly through strengthening villages as centers of economic growth and accelerating the provision of decent housing for the community.
“President Prabowo’s speech was very powerful. Villages and people’s housing are not positioned as supplementary programs, but as a vital part of the strategy to build a just, independent, and prosperous Indonesia. This aligns with ABPEDNAS’s ongoing efforts to encourage the strengthening of villages and Village Consultative Body (BPD) as part of development governance from the grassroots level,” said Indra Utama.
Villages Encouraged to Become Centers of Economic Growth
Indra assessed that the President’s attention to villages is evident in the policies on strengthening the Red and White Village/Sub-District Cooperatives, developing fishing villages, strengthening MSMEs, agriculture, and fisheries, and creating job opportunities in villages.
In his speech, President Prabowo stated that the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih) are aimed at becoming a vital part of the national supply chain and a driver of economic growth at the grassroots level.
The President also targeted 30,000 Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih to operate optimally by the end of 2026. These cooperatives are aimed at acting as off-takers of agricultural and fishery products from village communities, ensuring that community products have a market and are not wasted.
“This is the right paradigm. Villages should not be merely objects of development. They must become subjects, actors, and centers of economic growth. Money circulation, production, trade, employment, and investment must increasingly occur in villages,” said Indra.
According to him, the BPD (Regional Development Planning Agency) must be positioned as a crucial part in ensuring that village development is transparent, participatory, and accountable, and truly meets community needs.
“ABPEDNAS (National Development Planning Agency) is ready to be a strategic partner for the government to ensure that village development policies reach the community and provide tangible benefits,” he emphasized.
A Home Is Not Just a Building, But the People’s Dignity and Future
Indra also expressed special appreciation for President Prabowo’s attention to the public housing sector.
In his speech, the President emphasized that a home is not just a building or asset, but a place for families to take shelter, a place for children to learn, and a place for families to grow. The President also emphasized that for millions of Indonesians, a home is a source of peace, dignity, and a family’s future.
The President reported that as of June 30, 2026, the government had assisted in the renovation of 83,907 homes through the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS). Furthermore, the FLPP program has reached nearly 100,000 homes, while housing program loans have reached 90,878 borrowers.
“The President’s statement that a home is the people’s peace, dignity, and future is very appropriate. A home is a basic need and one measure of a country’s success in providing prosperity,” said Indra.
Indra also stated that the agenda for providing public housing must continue to be expanded by involving the entire national housing ecosystem, from the government, local governments, developers, banks, financing institutions, contractors, building material manufacturers, property agents, and the community.
President’s Consistency in Addressing Villages and People’s Housing: Indra believes that President Prabowo’s focus on villages and housing is not a one-time policy. The previous government also prioritized housing for low-income communities, including through accelerated housing development and more pro-people financing policies.
The same applies to villages. Strengthening village cooperatives, fishing villages, and the rural economy demonstrates efforts to build the economy from the grassroots.
“President Prabowo consistently demonstrates his concern for villages and people’s housing. These two sectors are very strategic because they directly impact people’s lives. Villages are the basis of production and the people’s economy, while housing is the basis of family resilience,” explained Indra, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Education Foundation and a Trustee of Pancasila University.
AREA Indonesia Ready to Strengthen the National Housing Ecosystem
As President of AREA Indonesia, Indra Utama affirmed the organization’s readiness to contribute to strengthening the national property and housing ecosystem.
According to him, affordable housing programs for the public must be accompanied by efforts to enhance the professionalism and competence of all stakeholders in the property industry.
“Large-scale housing development requires the support of an ecosystem that is healthy, professional, competent, transparent, and sustainable. AREA Indonesia is ready to play a part in building such an ecosystem,” he stated.
He believes that public housing programs can serve as an “engine of growth” by simultaneously driving multiple sectors—ranging from building materials, construction, financing, and labor to property services, MSMEs, and trade.
ABPEDNAS: Villages Must Become a Key Pillar of Indonesia’s Strength
Meanwhile, as the General Chairman of ABPEDNAS Indonesia, Indra emphasized that the organization would continue to push for the strengthening of the capacity and role of Village Consultative Bodies (BPD) in overseeing village development.
“The BPD must act as a strategic partner to the village head, not merely as a formal institution. It must be capable of representing the community, exercising oversight, and constructively conveying aspirations to ensure that village development truly serves the interests of the people,” said Indra, who also serves as the Deputy Chairman for Education at the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI).
He hopes that the spirit conveyed by President Prabowo in his state address can be translated into concrete actions at the village and sub-district levels.
“Our hope is simple yet fundamental: for villages to advance, the people’s economy to strengthen, families to prosper, and more citizens to own decent homes. If villages and families are strong, Indonesia will be strong,” concluded Indra Utama.
About ABPEDNAS
ABPEDNAS Indonesia is a national organization uniting Village Consultative Bodies (BPD) and is committed to strengthening the capacity, functions, and roles of BPDs within the framework of village governance and development.
About AREA Indonesia
AREA Indonesia is a professional ecosystem that fosters collaboration and competency building among national property industry stakeholders, while supporting the creation of a property industry that is professional, competent, credible, and sustainable.
Daffa Ibrahim
