Tito Urges Regional Synergy to Accelerate Sumatra Disaster Recovery
The head of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Post-Sumatra Disaster, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, emphasised that efforts to speed up recovery from the impacts of the hydrometeorological disaster in Sumatra are ongoing through strengthened collaboration among local governments. He urged local governments to assist neighbouring regions that have been severely affected and suffered heavy damage.
“From the latest update this morning, three regions have already made commitment statements to help the affected areas, namely Simalungun, Asahan, and Pematangsiantar,” said Tito in his statement on Wednesday (25/3/2026).
Furthermore, Tito explained that this collaboration initiative emerged following an additional allocation of transfer funds to regions for accelerating disaster response from the President amounting to Rp10.6 trillion. The budget is intended for the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, which will then be distributed to all regencies/cities in those three provinces, including areas not directly affected.
Therefore, the central government is urging regional heads in relatively safe or unaffected areas, but still receiving budget allocations, to be willing to channel a portion of their funds in the form of grants to neighbouring regions. This step is deemed important to strengthen the capacity of regions with high damage levels that face budget limitations, such as Aceh Tamiang Regency.
“We hope that these heavily affected regions will have additional budgets so they can work to resolve the issues,” he clarified.
In addition, he conveyed that the target for completing rehabilitation and reconstruction post-disaster in the three provinces is estimated to take up to three years. The development focus includes providing permanent housing (huntap), building permanent infrastructure such as bridges and roads that are currently still of an emergency nature, and restoring basic service facilities.
“This process will take time that is not short, not just a few months, but could reach two to three years,” he concluded.