TNI AD Ensures Starlink Services At Free Sumatra Flood Locations

The Indonesian Army has confirmed thatStarlink satellite communication service facilities that are sent to flood locations in the Sumatra area are free, responding to reports circulating that there are allegations of illegal levies practices for flood victims who want to use these facilities.

"For credit payments, it has been free of charge from the Starlink provider itself until the end of December," said Head of Information Section of Dispenad Lt. Col. (Arm) Sayed Syahrial when met at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Friday, December 5.

This statement also straightened out the statement by the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army, General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak, who said that the Indonesian Army did not yet know who paid the Starlink credit.

"So what the Army Chief of Staff here does not know who took care of the credit is because it has been free," explained Sayed.

Sayed said that from the beginning the Indonesian Army was tasked with delivering the Starlink satellite series to the location of the difficult flood disaster.

With the TNI AD personnel, it is hoped that flood victims in remote areas can use the Starlink satellite to communicate and other needs.

The existence of Starlink is also expected to help TNI soldiers and related agencies at the location in coordinating to accelerate the post-disaster recovery process.

"So don't let later if there are complaints related to the procurement of credit, the rumors will return to the Army. It's free until the end of December," explained Sayed.

Previously, Army Chief of Staff General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak said his party had sent Starlink satellites belonging to the Indonesian Army and the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) to the Sumatra flood site.

"Indeed, the equipment (Starlink) from the Ministry of Defense and we also don't know who wants to pay, so that's the condition," said Maruli.

The Starlinks deployed came from the Communications and Electronics Unit of the XX/TIB Regional Military Command (Komlekdam) and the Ministry of Defense.

There were 33 units of Starlink devices from the Ministry of Defense and five units from the Puskomlekad that had been distributed to the Kodim.

Through the Kodim, the satellite was then distributed to flood location points in the West Sumatra region.

"The installation is carried out directly by Komlekdam XX/TIB personnel at locations that require emergency connectivity, such as evacuation posts, regional government offices, BPBD posts, as well as search and evacuation areas," as quoted by the official TNI AD press release received by ANTARA.