Pratikno Reveals Several Ministers to Skip Palace Ceremony, Continue Assisting NTT Earthquake Victims

This year’s 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence will carry a different meaning for a number of ministers and state officials.

Instead of attending the ceremony at the Presidential Palace, they will divide duties and be stationed across several areas affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The decision forms part of the central government’s rapid response to President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to ensure that the handling of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake’s impact proceeds directly and in a coordinated manner on the ground.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno said a number of central government officials would be deployed across the affected regions to oversee the response according to their respective duties and responsibilities.

They will even commemorate Independence Day together with communities in areas currently facing difficult times due to the disaster.

“We will divide duties in the field (disaster-affected locations) and tomorrow we will hold the ceremony not in Jakarta, but we will join the independence anniversary ceremonies in various (earthquake-affected) regions,” Pratikno said after a coordination meeting in West Manggarai Regency, NTT, on Sunday, 16 August 2026.

According to Pratikno, the presence of state officials at the various affected locations is not merely to attend ceremonies.

They are tasked with overseeing critical issues while ensuring that disaster response needs in each region can be addressed promptly.

“We divide duties across various regions to oversee matters according to our respective portfolios, to oversee critical issues in those areas. But we will continue to coordinate even though we are in different places,” he said.

The move is part of the government’s collective effort, which has been mobilising towards NTT since the first day of the disaster.

On the same night the earthquake struck, Pratikno, together with Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto, Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Mohammad Syafii, as well as senior officials from PLN, Pertamina, and Telkom, departed for the affected areas.

The presence of the central government team is intended to oversee the response from the emergency phase through to rehabilitation and reconstruction.