MP: Decisive policies needed for disaster-affected areas
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission XI of the DPR RI, Martin Manurung, has affirmed the need for decisive, rapid, and targeted economic recovery policies for areas affected by disasters.
In a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday (25/2) evening, Martin emphasised that data collection on disaster impacts up to March must be carried out accurately and focus on the hardest-hit areas.
He assessed that in certain locations, the damage is not only to homes but also to fields, shops, and landscapes that have changed completely.
“For such conditions, restructuring or a grace period is not enough. In certain cases, direct write-offs are necessary,” he said during a working visit to Medan, North Sumatra, on Monday (23/2).
According to him, the number of areas most affected is limited and specific. Therefore, the government and financial authorities should immediately establish special policies for these areas, without waiting for a gradual scheme that takes a long time.
“The worst-affected areas must be addressed as quickly as possible,” he said.
The legislator for the North Sumatra II electoral district cited areas in Central Tapanuli and South Tapanuli that require different treatment from areas with light to moderate impacts.
He also encouraged economic reorientation through training and assistance, given that many residents will not be able to return to their previous businesses due to changes in geographical conditions.
Regarding the payment system, Martin appreciated the swift steps taken by Bank Indonesia (BI) in maintaining the distribution of cash and the exchange of damaged money. However, he emphasised that recovery must be supported by connectivity.
“ATMs are available, but if the network has not been restored, they will not function. Coordination is needed with telecommunications providers such as Telkomsel or alternatives such as Starlink. This is cross-sectoral work,” he said.
He also appreciated the coordination between BI and Pertamina regarding fuel for generators and requested strengthened coordination to ensure that financial services are quickly normalised. On the fiscal side, he said that the explanation from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia has not been detailed.
Martin highlighted that the realisation of readily available funds (DSP) is still low, at around IDR 32 billion out of IDR 4.8 trillion.
“The figure is not comparable to the damage on the ground. If IDR 60 trillion is prepared, the sources and allocation must be clear,” he said.
Commission XI, he said, will ensure that further discussions will be held in Jakarta with the Minister of Finance to formulate a clear, measurable, and directly impactful medium- and long-term recovery policy.
“The emergency phase is over. Now is the time for decisive and targeted recovery policies,” said Martin.