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Govt promises enough funds, logistics for disaster relief in 2008
The government said Wednesday it had sufficient funds and logistics to handle natural disasters until the end of the year, as regions begin to feel the impacts of a series of floods in the past week
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The government said Wednesday it had sufficient funds and logistics to handle natural disasters until the end of the year, as regions begin to feel the impacts of a series of floods in the past week.
"We still have enough disaster relief funds for this year, but I forget the exact figure because there are various posts or budgets that can be used for disaster funds," Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamsah said, adding that there was "no need to worry".
Bachtiar was in Makassar to open the ministry's national meeting to discuss budgeting and the ministry's work and social welfare development plans.
"We have allocated some Rp 500 billion (US$44 million) for disaster relief in the 2009 state budget," he said.
"Food stocks are available at logistics warehouses in each region.
"The supplies can be readily distributed to refugees without requesting permission from the ministry, as we cannot let the victims starve."
Bachtiar said the ministry had also provided evacuation equipment including tents, public kitchens and standby vehicles.
"We have called on all governors, regents and mayors to take immediate take action if disasters strike their areas," he said.
"They do not need to coordinate with the minister, but must act quickly.
"With the current weather conditions, natural disasters may occur at any time. That's why we have to remain alert."
Realizing the limited human resources of his ministry, Bachtiar established a youth disaster response team, known by its Indonesian acronym, Tagana.
The group employs mostly young people as volunteers to help natural disaster victims in various situations including evacuation to reconstruction.
There are currently some 30,000 Tagana volunteers, and Bachtiar hopes this number will reach 40,000 by 2009.
Meanwhile, in Samarinda, floods that hit the capital city of East Kalimantan during the past week have spread, resulting in the death of a boy.
Robby, 12, died after being electrocuted on Tuesday evening while playing in water near a traffic light.
The floods were initially only in North Samarinda district but have now spread to Ulu and Ilir Samarinda districts, damaging public facilities and disrupting the community.
Three schools on Jl. Ahmad Yani and Jl. Gatot Subroto were forced to send their students home while students of the Teaching and Pedagogy Faculty at Mulawarman University must pass through knee-deep water to reach their campus.
Samarinda Mayor Achmad Amins said his administration needed some Rp 1.3 trillion to construct a good drainage system for the city.
"But we have only managed to raise Rp 100 billion, so we are not yet able to handle flood problems properly," he said.
"We need five years at least to rebuild the infrastructure."
Separately, from Bandarlampung a researcher was reported missing since Monday in flooding that has affected the Tanggamus and West Lampung regencies during the past week.
Ahmad Masadi, 30, who was conducting research on the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) went missing on the Way Pemerihan River in West Lampung.
Meyner Nusalawo, an activist with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), said Masadi had drowned in the flooded river after attempting to cross it.
Meyner said he and Masadi had been doing research at Way Canguk Research Station operated by WCS in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, on the border between Tanggamus and West Lampung regencies.
As of Wednesday, a search and rescue (SAR) team were still looking for Masadi's body.
Oyos Saroso contributed to this article from Lampung
