Purbawa awaits BNPB's calculations on additional disaster mitigation budget

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbawa Yudhi Sadewa said his ministry is still awaiting calculations from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) regarding the need for additional budget allocations for disaster mitigation.

“Yes, we will increase it according to the request, because it is BNPB that does the calculations. We shall see what BNPB’s calculations look like, as I have not received them yet,” said Purbawa when answering journalists’ questions at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday.

Purbawa said his side is still awaiting the budget requirement calculations from BNPB before determining the size of the additional disaster mitigation budget.

“So, we are waiting for BNPB?” asked a journalist.

“Of course, otherwise who would I give it to?” Purbawa replied.

“We must be ready to face situations like this at any time. It is also a lesson for us, for the government I lead, that the budget allocation for disaster mitigation must be increased significantly,” said President Prabowo Subianto when opening a limited meeting on natural disaster management in Indonesia via video conference at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

According to the President, Indonesia’s location in the Ring of Fire means it faces a high risk of various disasters, so the government needs to improve its preparedness before disasters occur.

“The more helicopters the better, the more water pumps the better, the more fire engines the better. That way we are prepared before anything happens,” he said.

The Head of State also requested that more small excavators be provided at village level, particularly in areas that routinely face forest fires.

Prabowo instructed the drafting of a comprehensive and massive disaster mitigation master plan, including strengthening facilities to support the handling of forest and land fires (karhutla).

“So later we will prepare a master plan that is comprehensive and massive,” he said.