Aceh PRR Regional Commander Rejects Claims of Slow Recovery Efforts
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the Aceh Regional Command for the Task Force on Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) Post-Sumatra Disaster, Safrizal Zakaria Ali, has rejected claims that the handling of post-hydro-meteorological disaster recovery in Aceh is moving slowly.
In response to various public opinions and criticisms deeming the recovery process sluggish, Safrizal provided explanations regarding the facts on the ground.
“Some say the government is slow in handling the disaster. We cannot call it slow. But the scope of the affected area is very extensive. Geographical and technical challenges on the ground are highly complex. The needs of communities in each area differ, but we ensure that all are addressed (no one left behind),” Safrizal stated in his remarks in Jakarta on Tuesday.
This was conveyed while attending the Local Information Creators Workshop in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, where he highlighted the press’s role as a vital pillar in democracy.
He added that the development process cannot be rushed due to land legality issues and vulnerabilities at new sites, which require layered verification to avoid future problems.
Currently, Aceh remains in emergency transition status until July 2026. During this transition period, priorities include building non-permanent housing, ensuring food security, and guaranteeing health services.
Communal temporary housing units constructed by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Kemenko Polkam) and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) have already been built in North Aceh. Additionally, 71 communal temporary housing sites proposed by local governments are ready for construction.
The Regional Commander also addressed needs such as bore wells, paddy field repairs, river revitalisation, and other critical infrastructure.
“The government is moving forward continuously. Especially as we enter the dry El Niño phase in August this year. We need hundreds of new bore wells. The government will build these needs gradually, including paddy field repairs, and revitalisation and reconstruction of affected rivers,” he said.
Safrizal stated that reconstruction is not merely about meeting deadlines but requires in-depth studies to ensure Aceh’s rehabilitation and reconstruction has positive long-term impacts.
Furthermore, at the event initiated by the Directorate of Public Communication of the Ministry of Communication and Digital of the Republic of Indonesia, Safrizal remarked that whoever masters information can master the world.
In this democratic era of press freedom and freedom of speech, these are extremely important. Information can now be created anywhere and is nearly borderless. Thus, given current information developments, the only limitation is oneself.
Amid the flurry of circulating information, it is crucial to ensure that the conveyed information is understandable to the recipients (communicants). Even if there is a gap, the space is not too large.
He expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) for organising the Local Information Creators Workshop for cross-organisational participants in Banda Aceh.
He hopes the workshop will produce good, informative, and accurate content creators.
The training is very important, as it will greatly assist the government, and ultimately the public will also benefit by receiving accurate information from the workshop’s content creator participants.