Disaster Tourism Phenomenon, Prabowo: Officials to Disaster Sites Must Help, Not Photos!

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reminded officials and public figures not to come to disaster sites to take photos or "travel". This was conveyed by Prabowo when he chaired the plenary cabinet meeting attended by a number of ministers at the State Palace in Jakarta, Monday, December 15.

"I ask that officials, figures, do not come to the disaster area just for photos and to be considered present. Please do the opposite, we do not want a culture of disaster tourism, please," he said.

Prabowo emphasized that officials who come to disaster sites must have a goal to help disaster-affected communities. He asked state officials to be sensitive to the situation experienced by the victims.

"If you come, you really have to have a goal to help solve the problem, if there is an element of leadership coming, please, I see this has a tendency to be a disaster tour, it's not good. The people there should not be objects, we come to find problems, see difficulties, and act. I see here there is less clean water, there is less fuel, it is still isolated, how to act," said Prabowo.

On the same occasion, Prabowo expressed his appreciation for the hard work of TNI soldiers, the National Police, ministers, heads of agencies, and chief executives of companies in assisting and handling disasters in Sumatra.

In addition, Prabowo will also try to visit the flood and landslide-affected areas in Sumatra every week to ensure that the handling is carried out properly and quickly.

"I plan to see the area at least once a week to monitor developments," he said.