Jakarta. The Indonesian government may abandon a controversial proposal to shrink the minimum size of subsidized homes to 18 square meters, following widespread public backlash. The plan is not final, and authorities could revert to the previous standard of 36 square meters, said Hashim Djojohadikusumo, head of the government’s Housing Task Force, on Thursday.

The proposed micro-home design, with 18 square meters of living space on 25 square meters of land, has sparked criticism from the public and housing advocates, who argue it is inhumane and unfit for proper living.

“The 18-square-meter design is still under review. This is just an idea for now,” Hashim said during a press conference in Jakarta.

Hashim, who is also the brother of President Prabowo Subianto, added that according to existing housing regulations, the minimum legal standard for livable housing is 36 square meters. He stressed that any decision to alter the size of subsidized homes cannot be made unilaterally by the government.

The task force, he said, plans to hold consultations with relevant stakeholders, including state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), which is the main lender for the government’s subsidized housing credit program.

“In general, we are likely to stick to the standard sizes -- whether it’s 40 square meters, 60 square meters, or 36 square meters,” Hashim added.

The micro-home proposal was initially introduced by Housing and Settlements Minister Maruarar Sirait, who argued that a smaller design was a practical solution to rising land prices in urban areas, which have become a key obstacle to the government’s subsidized housing program.

Reports indicate that the 18-square-meter design was even included in a draft ministerial regulation.

Maruarar is under pressure to deliver on President Prabowo’s target of building 3 million new homes during his term, as part of efforts to address Indonesia’s massive housing backlog of 9.9 million units.

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