Finance Minister Purbaya: Sumatra Disaster Relief Funds Disbursement Delayed by Documentation Issues

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the Rp60 trillion budget previously allocated for Sumatra post-disaster management has not been fully utilised this year. He made the remarks following a closed-door coordination meeting on Sumatra’s post-disaster situation held at the DPR in Senayan, Jakarta. Purbaya explained that while the funds are allocated across three infrastructure development aspects, documentation submitted by certain ministries and agencies is often incomplete. “We allocated Rp60 trillion by the end of last year, but less has been used this year as it is divided among infrastructure projects,” Purbaya said on Monday, 25 May 2026. He confirmed that despite the allocated funds, disbursement is often hindered by incomplete documentation from ministries and agencies. Purbaya stressed that disaster management budgets would only be released once submitted documents are complete. “The Finance Ministry’s approach has changed. Previously, applications were submitted and then ignored. I told the Director General of Budget to follow up daily on disaster-related budget requests, calling ministries and agencies if documents are missing,” he said. Therefore, Purbaya assured that if any ministry or agency struggles to prepare documents, the Finance Ministry will directly assist in completing them. “These measures are expected to expedite national disaster-related budget disbursement. There is no need for concern as the funds are available,” he added. A closed-door coordination meeting was held on Monday, 25 May 2026, between the DPR’s Post-Disaster Recovery Task Force and the Government’s Sumatra Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force. The meeting was opened by DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad at the DPR’s Nusantara IV Building, though he later confirmed the session was held behind closed doors. Attendees included Interior Minister Tito Karnavian, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno, Government Communication Bureau Chief Muhammad Qodari, and Housing and Settlement Minister Maruarar Sirait.