IT has been three years since the government started the Thousand Towers Rumah Susun (low-cost apartments) program in 10 large cities in Indonesia. So far the results have been disappointing. Rich people have flocked to buy these low-cost homes for investment purposes. The original aim of the program, to provide housing for low-income city dwellers, has not been achieved.

Two points can be made from these facts. Firstly, only a few of these subs