Task Force to oversee infrastructure and MSME facility recovery

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, who chairs the Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR), has assured that recovery efforts are proceeding according to target, including rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure and facilities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

“The most important point is that the accelerated rehabilitation and reconstruction of Sumatra’s disaster recovery is continuing, and will run until 2028,” Tito said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He made the remarks at a meeting on progress in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure and MSME facilities following natural disasters in Sumatra, held at the Ministry of Home Affairs’ head office on Wednesday.

According to the master plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction, post-disaster recovery in Sumatra is scheduled to take place from 2026 to 2028.

Tito said the Ministry of Public Works had a major responsibility for rehabilitating and reconstructing affected infrastructure, including roads, rivers, bridges and educational facilities. Many rivers had become silted up and needed urgent attention, he said.

“If the sediment is not dealt with, even a little heavy rain will cause flooding again,” he said.

Tito said post-disaster recovery in Sumatra would take considerable time because the natural disasters had caused widespread damage. Subsequent disasters, including floods, had also damaged infrastructure that had already been repaired.

Meanwhile, Public Works Ministry Secretary-General Apri Artoto outlined progress in infrastructure rehabilitation and reconstruction during 2026. The work includes irrigation systems, rivers, national bridges and roads, as well as health and places of worship.

“We will continue to push the recovery process so that it is not only fast, but also well-targeted and sustainable,” he said.

MSME Minister Maman Abdurrahman said his ministry was tasked with supporting economic recovery in the three affected provinces.

The ministry’s work includes distributing Presidential Assistance (Banpres) to 200,000 microbusinesses, procuring production equipment, empowering MSMEs and providing services through the Klinik UMKM Bangkit (MSME Recovery Clinic). The programmes are being rolled out gradually in affected areas.