Prabowo Orders Officials to Focus on Serving NTT Disaster Victims, Avoid Ceremonial Visits
President Prabowo Subianto has issued firm instructions to all government ranks involved in disaster management in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). He asked that top priority be given entirely to serving and distributing aid to affected communities, without being disrupted by ceremonial agendas accompanying official visits.
Prabowo stressed that emergency response must be oriented towards the needs of the people. He revealed the reason behind his decision not to go directly to the disaster site in the early stages, namely to provide space for relevant agencies to work optimally.
“I want to give all agencies the opportunity to serve the people directly,” said Prabowo while leading a meeting on earthquake response in Nagekeo, NTT, on Wednesday (27/8).
According to the President, the presence of too many central government officials at disaster sites often actually splits the concentration of field officers. Regional government officials, he continued, should focus on handling victims, not spending energy on protocol matters such as welcoming or accompanying official visits.
“Sometimes when too many central officials come, concentration becomes divided. Regional officials have to pick them up and so on. There is sometimes a tendency for that to end up diverting the primary focus,” he explained.
Prabowo assessed that such conditions could hamper the rapid action urgently needed by communities in emergency situations. He emphasised that the government’s presence in disaster areas must bring real solutions, not merely inspections without significant impact.
Although not directly present at the site in the early phase, Prabowo assured that the central government continues to carry out strict monitoring. The central government’s main focus is ensuring the effectiveness of disaster aid deployment and medical and logistical services.
“But we continue to monitor, and the most important thing from the centre is deploying services and aid. That is the most important thing,” the President stressed.
He also reminded that every working visit to affected areas must be accompanied by the ability to send aid quickly. “If we come and then only look at the disaster but cannot overcome it, cannot send aid, then that is ultimately less effective,” he concluded.
On that occasion, President Prabowo also expressed appreciation to all elements who have worked in the field, from the ranks of the TNI, Polri, Basarnas, to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) for their dedication in handling the impact of the disaster in NTT.