Minister says 10,000 more homes expected

JAKARTA (Jakarta Post) : Public Housing Minister M. Yusuf Asy'ari said Friday he expected more than 10,000 people would have a decent house this year through a subsidized sharia "credit" scheme.

The government has allocated Rp 800 billion (US$84.66 million) from the state budget for the house subsidy, nearly triple last year's subsidy of Rp 300 million.

In its 2004-2009 plan, the ministry aims to provide 1.35 million housing units for people who are yet to have a house due to skyrocketing housing prices.

The minister said only people with a maximum monthly income of Rp 2.5 million are allowed to buy the houses.

Last year, the ministry worked together with sharia banks and cooperatives to provide subsidies for 3,933 housing units. The figure was an 800 percent rise from 490 units a year earlier.