MPR Leader Highlights Disaster Threats, Mitigation Must Be Strengthened

Deputy Speaker of the MPR, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono (Ibas), has reminded the government and the public to strengthen mitigation and preparedness in facing the various disaster threats in Indonesia.

He argued that a nation’s strength cannot be measured by its ability to remain free of disasters. A strong nation, he said, is one that is able to prepare itself and protect its people when disaster strikes.

“A strong nation is not one that never faces disasters. A strong nation is one that is ready to face disasters and capable of protecting its people,” Ibas said in a statement on Monday (7 September).

The chairman of the Democratic Party faction in the House of Representatives (DPR RI) also touched upon a number of disasters that have occurred in various regions of Indonesia.

These ranged from the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), fires in customary areas in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), drought in several parts of Java, to forest and land fires (karhutla) in Kalimantan.

He also highlighted the eruption activity of Mount Anak Krakatau, which served as a fresh reminder that Indonesia is a country with a high level of disaster risk.

“Let us remember our brothers and sisters who are currently facing calamities. We have witnessed an earthquake in NTT, fires in customary areas in NTB, drought in several regions of Java, forest and land fires in Kalimantan, and various other disasters,” he said.

According to Ibas, disasters do not only cause damage to buildings and infrastructure. They can also disrupt people’s activities and the wheels of the economy.

“The impact is not only physical damage. Transport is disrupted, education is disrupted, economic activity is disrupted. And most importantly, people’s safety is threatened,” he said.

For this reason, Ibas asked that disaster management not focus solely on post-event response. Mitigation and preparedness efforts, he continued, must be strengthened before a disaster occurs.

Furthermore, Ibas emphasised that the government has an important role in building a stronger and more integrated disaster mitigation and preparedness system.

He also called on the public and parliament to continue overseeing the government’s steps so that efforts to protect citizens are not carried out only once a disaster has already struck.

“We must continue to hold the government to account to strengthen mitigation and preparedness,” he said.