The Bridge Task Force is under the coordination of the Chief of Staff of the Army (KSAD) and was formed at the direction of President Prabowo Subianto to build emergency bridges, especially in remote and disaster-affected areas.
"Previously, only the BNPB could request a planned budget. We've changed that so now it can be submitted to the Bridge Task Force, chaired by the Army Chief of Staff, instead of the Army," Purbaya said .
As is known, until the end of 2025, BNPB still has a remaining disaster budget of around IDR 1.5 trillion.
Previously, the BNPB had also proposed an additional budget of IDR 1.4 trillion on December 18, including IDR 650 billion for disaster management in Sumatra. Currently, available funds are recorded at IDR 1.51 trillion.
Efforts are being made to divert these funds to the Bridge Task Force, particularly to rebuild infrastructure access in areas of Sumatra affected by floods and landslides.
This step was taken in response to a report by Army Chief of Staff General Maruli Simanjuntak, who stated that bridge construction in a number of disaster-stricken areas in Sumatra was carried out independently, even through debt.
Responding to this, the Minister of Finance stated that he would not object if the Bridge Task Force proposed disbursing funds of up to IDR 1 trillion from the remaining BNPB disaster budget.
The funds can be used to pay off debts and cover the costs of bridge construction and procurement of heavy equipment.
"They need to replace the bridges they purchased, the debts they incurred to purchase them, and the heavy equipment they need. The budget is there, so if it can be included today, it will be disbursed today," said the Minister of Finance.
Furthermore, Purbaya opened the opportunity for disaster fund applications to also include support for the needs of TNI personnel and other parties involved in the Bridge Task Force, including for consumption and field operations.
He believes the request is still reasonable, considering the harsh working conditions in disaster areas. Purbaya believes that personnel in the field deserve more appropriate treatment.
Previously, Purbaya attended a Coordination Meeting with the House of Representatives' Post-Disaster Recovery Task Force along with members of the Red and White Cabinet and heads of disaster-affected regions.
The meeting discussed accelerating post-disaster management and recovery in the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
