All Out in Disaster Response, Andre Rosiade Receives Medal of Honor
Deputy Chairman of Commission VI from the Gerindra Party faction and Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives from the West Sumatra electoral district, Andre Rosiade, received the Medal of Honor from the Jaringan Pemred Sumbar (JPS). The award was given in recognition of his contributions to assisting with disaster management in West Sumatra from the emergency response phase to the recovery of affected communities.
The award was presented directly by JPS Chairman Adrian Tuswandi, accompanied by JPS Advisor Novrianto Ucok and board members at the Mercure Padang Hotel on Sunday (5/4). The presentation was held specially because Andre was unable to attend the inauguration of the JPS board for the 2025-2028 period on Thursday, 2 April, as he was carrying out state duties in Jakarta.
JPS Advisor Novrianto Ucok stated that the award was given not because of Andre’s position as a Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives, but due to his tangible and sustained contributions in helping disaster victims. Out of more than 120 figures and institutions evaluated, Andre was noted as one of the most consistent in presence from the start of the disaster until the community obtained permanent housing.
“This is not because he is a Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives. There is no connection to that. He has been present since the beginning of the disaster, helping until the community obtained permanent housing, and to this day he continues to work for the community’s interests. He has been all out in handling the disaster in West Sumatra,” said Ucok in a written statement on Sunday (5/4/2026).
Ucok added that the award represents a form of moral appreciation from the West Sumatra community for Andre’s concern, which is seen as exceeding his formal responsibilities as a legislator.
“If there are those who like or dislike it, that’s normal. But for us, this is the best of the best,” he said.
JPS Chairman Adrian Tuswandi also assessed Andre’s rapid response from the first day post-disaster as one of the main considerations for the award.
“I directly followed how Mr Andre arrived at the location from the first day of the disaster. The most volunteers, the most aid, the most heavy equipment—that was clearly visible in the field,” he said.
According to Adrian, the award is given as a form of respect for the tangible work felt directly by the community.
“If not now, when? If not JPS, who else?” he said.
In response to the award, Andre Rosiade expressed thanks to JPS. He said the recognition serves as motivation to work harder for the people of West Sumatra.
Andre stated that the biggest challenge for West Sumatra currently is not only disaster-related, but also the regional economic conditions, which he believes require joint efforts from all stakeholders.
“West Sumatra’s economic growth is only around 3 percent, while inflation reaches 6 percent. This means the community’s purchasing power is increasingly pressured. This must be a serious concern for us all,” said Andre.
He also reminded the importance of stopping image-building practices and encouraging concrete steps for regional development, particularly in bringing in investment and creating new job opportunities.
“Stop the image-building. What the community needs is infrastructure development and investment entering West Sumatra,” he emphasised.
Andre assessed that the lack of job opportunities is one reason many university graduates choose to migrate outside the region.
“This is our collective homework. Regional heads must wake up from negligence. Let us work seriously to build West Sumatra in a real way,” Andre concluded.
He hopes the award from JPS can become a momentum to strengthen the spirit of mutual cooperation between the government and the community in accelerating economic revival and West Sumatra’s development going forward.