Agriculture Minister to Withdraw Aid if West Sumatra Fails to Swiftly Address Disaster Impacts

Agriculture Minister (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman has emphasised that he will withdraw central government aid if the West Sumatra provincial government, along with its districts and cities, fails to promptly follow up on the President’s directives regarding the handling of disasters in the agricultural sector.

“If they (local government) are not serious, I will pull the budget back to the centre,” said Mentan Andi Amran Sulaiman in Padang Pariaman District on Tuesday.

This statement was made by the Indonesian Agriculture Minister while directly inspecting the progress of handling agricultural land affected by disasters in Lubuk Alung Subdistrict, Padang Pariaman District, West Sumatra.

The emphasis was prompted by the slow handling of the agricultural sector affected by disasters in West Sumatra, particularly in Padang Pariaman District. Despite the Ministry of Agriculture having disbursed aid in January 2026, it has not been realised effectively.

“If not serious in serving the people, why should we help? Moreover, sometimes the budget is not fully used by the end of the year. We are concerned,” he said.

On that occasion, Andi Amran explained that bureaucratic factors and communication are the causes of the slow handling of the agricultural sector impacted by flash floods and landslides in the Minangkabau region.

“Communication and bureaucracy on our part,” he said.

In the field, Andi Amran Sulaiman also directly communicated with heavy equipment operators who were excavating agricultural areas still buried with flash flood debris.

According to him, the situation in Padang Pariaman District must not happen again because it directly impacts the community, especially residents who have relied on rice fields as their main livelihood.

In fact, when he met with the Regent of Padang Pariaman in Batam City, the Ministry of Agriculture immediately disbursed aid in January 2026. However, to date, the handling is still far from optimal.

Meanwhile, West Sumatra Deputy Governor Vasko Ruseimy admitted that the post-disaster agricultural sector handling, especially in Padang Pariaman District, has experienced delays related to bureaucracy.