DPR reminds that assistance to victims of the Sumatra flood must be targeted.

Member of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives Mahdalena reminded the government that the distribution of life assurance assistance of Rp. 450 thousand per month for people affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra should be targeted and transparent.

He emphasized that the assistance for daily necessities is very needed by the disaster victims who are still struggling to recover their lives.

"We support assistance for the basic needs of people affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra. However, most importantly, the government must ensure that this assistance is actually received by those who need it most," said Mahdalena in Jakarta, Tuesday, January 6.

Mahdalena emphasized that more than a month after the disaster, the conditions of affected communities in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra are still far from being recovered. He emphasized that many residents lost their homes, livelihoods, and had to start their lives from scratch.

"The victims of this disaster are not only losing their homes, but also losing their livelihoods. Government assistance is the main support so that they can survive and slowly rise to continue their lives," said the NTB PKB legislator.

Mahdalena also asked the government to conduct accurate and fair data collection so that no victims were missed or the parties who were not entitled to receive assistance. He reminded, if there is found to be irregularities in the process of distributing assistance, the government must act decisively.

"They are our brothers who have suffered from floods and landslides. Do not let their suffering increase because the assistance is complicated, the target is wrong, or even diverted," he said.

Mahdalena also encouraged the government to conduct periodic evaluations of the distribution of assistance. According to him, evaluation is important to ensure that all assistance is in accordance with the rules.

"And it really has an impact on the recovery of the lives of disaster victims," he concluded.

It is known that each family affected by the disaster will receive assistance of Rp3 million for household equipment needs.

In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs also distributes life assurance assistance of IDR 450 thousand per month for one person to support the daily needs of the victims. The assistance to be provided for three months is an effort to help disaster victims meet their basic needs after the incident.

Based on data on handling emergency disasters from floods and landslides, BNPB in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, recorded 1,177 people died, 148 people were still missing, and about 242,200 people were forced to evacuate. Thousands of public facilities and residents' homes were reported to have suffered heavy damage.