The Minister of Housing and Settlements (PKP), Maruarar Sirait, conducted a public outreach session on the National Housing Credit Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) as part of efforts to accelerate the realization of affordable housing for the public. The event was held on Wednesday (8/10) at the UMSU Campus on Jalan Muchtar Basri No. 3, Medan.
In his remarks, Minister Maruarar Sirait expressed his high appreciation for the role of Muhammadiyah—particularly UMSU—in advancing education and social services.
“Keep moving forward, Muhammadiyah. Your contribution to the people and the nation is extraordinary. Many responsibilities in education and health have been carried out remarkably well by Muhammadiyah,” said Maruarar.
He personally donated down payments for 100 subsidized houses to 100 members of the UMSU community. The funds, he emphasized, came from his personal resources, not state money.
“Allow me to give personal support to 100 low-income individuals at UMSU. I will cover the down payment for their houses,” he said, receiving enthusiastic applause.
He added that this contribution is a form of appreciation for Muhammadiyah’s service and part of the共同 effort to advance Indonesia.
“We must work together. I found something extraordinary here—many non-Muslim students also study at UMSU. Muhammadiyah’s openness makes this university a true reflection of Indonesia. We help one another,” he continued.
The Minister explained that subsidized housing is targeted for low-income families in North Sumatra: single applicants with a maximum monthly income of Rp8.5 million, and married applicants with up to Rp10 million, provided they do not yet own a home.
“There are no limitations—household workers and even the visually impaired have already received assistance. As long as they meet the criteria, this is what fairness looks like,” he said.
He also highlighted that the success of the housing program is measured by its absorption—not just by the quotas.
“It’s not the quota that matters, but how much is absorbed. I promised 25,000 homes, but 26,000 were realized thanks to a super team,” he stated.
During the session, Maruarar also brought together banks, MSMEs, developers, and contractors to clarify that the program operates within an ecosystem that helps stimulate the economy.
The Minister also praised Muhammadiyah for its professional institutional management.
“UMSU is well-managed, construction runs smoothly, and payments are always on time. This is an example of a modern, outstanding university,” he said after hearing testimony from a construction materials MSME that works with UMSU.
Earlier, UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP expressed his pride in welcoming the Minister to campus.
“Some time ago, Apersi visited us, and we are grateful that UMSU has now been chosen to host the Minister directly,” said Agussani.
The Rector added that UMSU already has a rental apartment building (rusunawa) and a guest house for its academic community.
“We have 800 lecturers and 358 staff members. We hope the Minister can give detailed guidance so our lecturers and students may also benefit from the three-million-homes program,” he continued.
Agussani also welcomed the motivation and clarity offered through the socialization.
“We want to understand how our lecturers and students can obtain decent housing through this government program,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude for the 100 free house down-payment slots and noted that UMSU would immediately collect data on eligible recipients.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Apersi Association, Junaidi Abdillah, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to supporting low-income communities.
“Our mission is purely for the benefit of low-income families—different from other associations. Please maintain quality and build livable homes,” he emphasized.
Junaidi also expressed appreciation for Minister Maruarar Sirait.
“We always sanction problematic developers. This is Apersi’s commitment. Thank you for your support, Minister. We are confident your contribution will be memorable—this is an impressive achievement,” he said.
The event concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UMSU and the North Sumatra branch of Apersi, witnessed by the Minister. This marks the beginning of collaboration to support the acceleration of the national housing program.
Also present were BP Tapera Commissioner Dr. Heru Pudyo Nugroho, S.E., M.B.A.; Director General of Housing and Urban Affairs, Dr. Sri Haryati, S.Psi., M.Si; Chairman of Apersi North Sumatra, H. M. Yulius, S.T., M.M., along with board members; UMSU Board of Trustees; UMSU Vice Rectors; Directors and Deputy Directors of the Postgraduate School; Deans and Vice Deans; Heads of Bureaus, Units, and Centers; UMSU Partners; and doctoral and master’s students of the UMSU Management Program.
