The Story Of The Minister Of Public Works When Visiting Central Tapanuli: The Road Can't Be Boiled To The Difficulty Of Fuel

Minister of Public Works, Dody Hanggodo, shared his experience while accompanying President Prabowo Subianto to inspect areas affected by floods and landslides in Central Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra Province, on Monday, December 1.

During the review, Dody said that he deliberately chose to land at Sibolga Airport to find out the conditions in the disaster-affected area.

He was shocked, a trip from Sibolga Airport to Pandan City, the capital city of Central Tapanuli Regency, had to be taken for more than 1 hour, even though the distance was only about 20 kilometers (km).

"This morning I deliberately landed at Sibolga Airport. I prefer to ride cars, motorbikes, so I know what details, what happened on land, in the field," said Dody in his remarks at the 2025 Sutami Awards at the Ministry of Public Works Auditorium, Jakarta, Monday night, December 1.

"From Sibolga Airport to Pandan City, the capital city of Central Tapanuli Regency, it was only 20 km away, but we had to take almost an hour. Almost the car could not penetrate because it was still mud and water was still stagnant here and there," he continued.

Not only that, Dody also admitted that he was sad to see that many mothers fed rice using firewood.

According to him, this is a habit in the past and not in this modern era.

"I saw with my own eyes, mothers fed rice using firewood. How many decades ago we never saw that again, and that today happened," he said.

He also found many mothers washing their clothes with unclean water on the side of the road. This is because the river as a source of clean water has been covered with mud and logs of wood left over from floods and landslides.

"Mothers wash clothes on the side of the road where there is no clean water because all the rivers have been covered by mud, they have been covered by logs. Something that I have not seen since I left Aceh's old house," he explained.

Therefore, Dody assessed that North Sumatra Province was badly affected by the floods and landslides that last week.

"That's why I can also say that conditions in North Sumatra, especially North, Central and South Tapanuli, are like I responded to a tsunami if I was based in Aceh "Nias at that time," he said.

Dody said that this condition was further exacerbated by the blackout of electricity in areas affected by floods and landslides.

Fuel oil (BBM) is also very difficult to obtain.

"Electricity? Don't ask again, the condition doesn't exist. Fuel? It's difficult. Because until yesterday the fuel had to be dropped through Hercules, through the barrels," explained Dody.

Dody said that the availability of diesel for generators at Sibolga Airport was only enough for half a day.

As a result, if the fuel supply has not been met, the air traffic control at the airport will not work.

"Sibolga Airport has only enough diesel for half a day. Ladies and gentlemen, can imagine if the diesel in the generator runs out, it dies, how will the air traffic control work at Sibolga Airport," he said.

"Even though Sibolga Airport is the closest airport to the Central Tapanuli area, assistance is very much needed by the surrounding community," he added.