By: Satria Wisnu Putra )*
Hydrometeorological disasters that have struck several regions on the island of Sumatra have become a serious test of national resilience and the state’s capacity to protect its citizens. Amid this emergency situation, the government has reaffirmed its full commitment to overseeing disaster management until all phases of recovery are completed, placing public safety as the top priority and optimizing all national capabilities that Indonesia possesses.
Since the first day the disaster occurred, the central government has taken a leading role in coordinating response efforts in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The approach adopted has been national in scale, not waiting for administrative processes related to the formal designation of disaster status, but instead focusing directly on rapid response, effective resource mobilization, and meeting the urgent needs of affected communities. This step demonstrates the government’s awareness that in emergency situations, the presence of the state must be realized through concrete actions, not merely formal decisions.
Special Staff to the Head of the Presidential Staff Office, Timothy Ivan Triyono, stated that from the outset the government has relied on domestic capacity as the main foundation for disaster management in Sumatra. According to him, Indonesia has sufficient human resources, state institutions, and disaster management infrastructure to handle the situation independently.
All ministries and agencies have been deployed to the field in accordance with the President’s directives to accelerate response and recovery in affected areas. International support and solidarity continue to be appreciated, but the government has emphasized that the primary response is being carried out through national capabilities that have already been established.
The optimization of national resources has begun to show results, particularly in the recovery of basic infrastructure. The government has recorded significant progress in repairing road and bridge access in North Sumatra and West Sumatra, while recovery efforts in Aceh continue to be accelerated given the extent of the affected areas and the complexity of the terrain.
The restoration of physical access in disaster-hit areas is considered crucial, as it is a prerequisite for the smooth distribution of aid, the provision of health services, and the resumption of community economic activities. The government views the acceleration of infrastructure recovery not merely as a technical project, but as an integral part of restoring the social life of residents.
As a form of direct leadership and to strengthen coordination on the ground, President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to visit several areas that are still experiencing limited access. The President’s presence is understood as an effort to ensure that central government policies align with real conditions and needs in the regions, while also providing moral support to both personnel and communities struggling to cope with the impacts of the disaster.
The government has also given significant attention to frontline personnel working under extremely challenging conditions. Thousands of personnel from the TNI, Polri, BNPB, Basarnas, health workers, as well as electricity and infrastructure officers continue to carry out their duties tirelessly.
The restoration of electricity, particularly in Aceh, is still progressing in stages until all areas are once again able to enjoy normal basic services. The dedication of these personnel is seen as clear evidence that the state is present through the direct service and sacrifice of its apparatus.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya emphasized that disaster management in the three provinces has been national in scale since the first day, immediately after the disaster struck. This clarification was delivered in response to public debates regarding the designation of a national disaster status.
According to Teddy, the government chose not to be trapped in administrative debates, but instead immediately mobilized national resources in a comprehensive manner. Tens of thousands of joint personnel were deployed, with the main focus on rescuing residents and fulfilling basic needs during the initial emergency response phase.
In addition to personnel deployment, the central government has ensured full budgetary support. Central budget allocations are being used in stages for the construction of temporary and permanent housing, the restoration of public facilities, and the repair of damaged local government offices.
Local governments have also received direct financial support to give them flexibility in responding to urgent needs on the ground. In terms of logistics and infrastructure, hundreds of sea and air transport assets as well as thousands of units of heavy equipment have been mobilized from various regions to accelerate evacuation efforts and the restoration of access.
Support for the government’s approach has also come from civil society. 1998 activist and initiator of the 98 Resolution Network, Haris Rusly Moti, assessed that the administration of President Prabowo Subianto has taken optimal steps in handling the disaster in Sumatra.
Haris argued that the government’s primary focus on rescuing residents, emergency response, and infrastructure recovery often means that public communication does not become an early priority, leading to perceptions that do not fully reflect conditions on the ground.
However, substantively, according to Haris Rusly Moti, the government has designated the disaster in Sumatra as a national priority by maximizing the deployment of central resources since the early stages of the emergency response.
Haris also emphasized that state personnel working in the field are not social media communicators, but humanitarian workers who concentrate their energy on rescue and recovery efforts. In this context, he appreciated the government’s efforts to gradually address misinformation through explanations based on data and field facts. According to him, the direct involvement of the central government and the disbursement of national funds constitute a substantive response to the criticisms that have emerged.
Through a national-scale approach, the optimization of resources, and sustained oversight through the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases, the government affirms that disaster management in Sumatra does not stop at the emergency stage. This commitment reflects the presence of the state that is not only responsive during crises, but also responsible for ensuring that communities can recover and rise again in a sustainable manner.
