Permanent Infrastructure a Priority, Task Force Head Tito: Post-Disaster Recovery in Sumatra Shows Progress
Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, in his capacity as Head of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sumatra, has reported that recovery progress in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra continues to show positive development. This is evident from various indicators, ranging from government services, health, and education to strategic infrastructure and the construction of temporary housing. The explanation was delivered to journalists following a ministerial-level meeting of the Task Force Steering Committee at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture office in Jakarta on Thursday (18/6/2026).
Disaster management in Sumatra has now entered the rehabilitation and reconstruction recovery phase. Tito stated that the priority going forward is to make various infrastructure permanent, such as roads and bridges, whether under national or regional status, including those not yet addressed. “That must be carried out, either by the regional government or taken over by the central government,” he explained.
He revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has approved a rehabilitation and reconstruction budget requirement of Rp100.1 trillion through to 2028. The budget covers the needs of 33 ministries and agencies, comprising 23 primary and 10 supporting ministries and agencies. He urged the relevant ministries and agencies to accelerate the submission and disbursement processes so that the budget can be utilised immediately. Likewise, ministries and agencies that have already received the budget should realise it promptly. “Once it is transferred, our speed will be very fast,” he explained.
On the other hand, while waiting for the relevant ministries and agencies to move, Tito urged regional governments to utilise the additional Regional Transfer Funds to address urgent needs in their respective areas. He noted that the central government has sent an additional Rp10.6 trillion in Regional Transfer Funds to all regional governments in the three disaster-affected provinces. Furthermore, he appreciated several regional governments that received additional funds but provided grants to affected areas still requiring support, as the additional funds were received by all regions, whether directly affected by the disaster or not. “So once again, with the existing Regional Transfer Fund budget, I encourage the regions to move using their respective funds,” he concluded.