"The President has given direct instructions that if any additional personnel are needed, they will be added. This also applies to several related ministries and institutions, such as the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the police," said Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, answering reporters' questions after a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.
Prasetyo continued that this instruction also applies to ministries and institutions involved in handling the impact of the disaster, including the TNI and Polri.
"We all see that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) are at the forefront of disaster management. This naturally requires financial resources, which we will back up," he said.
On the same occasion, he stated that the government ensures that all disaster management in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra continues to be carried out extensively with full support from the central government. He continued the government's current focus on speed and effectiveness in handling the impact of disasters in affected areas.
"The most important thing is handling it. Since the disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, all national resources have been working hard to address them," he said.
He then emphasized that President Prabowo Subianto had instructed his staff in ministries/institutions, the TNI, the Polri, and regional governments to provide full support for the disaster management process, including from a budgetary perspective.
"The President immediately instructed us to fully implement the disaster response process that befell our brothers and sisters," he said.
He added that the government is ensuring that coordination across ministries and institutions is running smoothly, including ensuring the distribution of basic necessities.
