JAKARTA - Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives, Siti Hediati Hariyati or Titiek Soeharto, emphasized that the factors causing floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra were not just problems with weather anomalies, but environmental damage made by humans.
"The hydrometeorological disaster at the western end of Indonesia is no longer just a weather anomaly. This is a strong alarm for all of us," said Titiek at the House of Representatives Commission IV meeting at the DPR building, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, December 4.
"Heavy rain due to tropical cyclone storms is indeed a natural factor. However, the inability of the ground to hold back water due to rough forests is the work of humans," continued the deputy chairman of the Gerindra Party's Board of Trustees.
Titiek emphasized that all parties cannot blame extreme weather, let alone turn a blind eye to the alarming conditions at the disaster site.
"We cannot continue to blame high rainfall. Meanwhile, we are closing our eyes on facts on the ground," said Titiek.
"The three provinces, Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra are connected by the same ecological backbone, namely the mountain of rows. When floods occur simultaneously and repeatedly, it means that something is wrong with our water tower upstream," continued the legislator from the DIPil DI Yogyakarta.
The leadership of the House of Representatives commission in charge of forestry and environmental affairs reminded that currently disaster-affected communities really need the government's quick movement. Not only foodstuffs, but also guarantees that similar disasters do not happen again.
"People in Aceh, Medan and West Sumatra don't need just post-disaster food assistance. They need assurances that the forest above their house is not parried and endangers their lives," said Titiek.
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