Visit West Sumatra, the Ministry of Education and Culture Disburses Disaster Response Assistance

PADANG - The Ministry of Culture has provided disaster response assistance for communities and cultural actors affected by flash floods in West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh. The assistance was handed over during a working visit by the Minister of Culture Fadli Zon in Padang, Wednesday (24/12).

This assistance is focused on the protection and restoration of cultural assets, ranging from cultural sites, museums, heritage sites, to art practitioners. Menbud emphasized the state's presence not only in the emergency phase, but also in the post-disaster recovery transition.

"From the beginning we asked the hall in the affected area to record the damage to cultural heritage and cultural actors. The data is the basis for targeted assistance," said Fadli Zon.

In the initial phase, the Ministry of Culture has disbursed funds from the collection of around half a billion rupiah. Through the optimization of the budget, support was increased to around Rp. 12 billion for the three affected provinces.

The handling of damage is tailor-made, adjusted to the character and level of damage of each object. Graves, houses of worship, museums, and cultural sites require different approaches so that recovery is accurate and sustainable.

Head of the West Sumatra Regional Cultural Preservation Office III, Nurmatias, said the November 27, 2025 disaster not only damaged settlements, but also had a serious impact on cultural heritage and art practitioners in three provinces.

Menbud also emphasized the strengthening of local wisdom as part of disaster mitigation. The value of maintaining the environment and being in harmony with nature, he said, has been passed down through manuscripts, rituals, and local traditions.

After the briefing, Menbud reviewed the affected locations in Batu Busuak Village, Pauh District, Padang. Household equipment assistance was handed over to residents through the Lambung Bukik Village Head, Andi Defriyan. Residents took advantage of the visit to convey urgent needs as well as appreciation for the direct presence of the government in post-disaster recovery