Minister of Home Affairs asks the IPDN Praja to apply the science of government when helping the recovery of Aceh Tamiang

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian during a speech at the release of the IPDN prefecture to the disaster area. ANTARA/HO-Kemendagri

Jakarta - The Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, asked the people of the Institute of Internal Government (IPDN) to apply the government science obtained at the campus when assigned to help restore the government in Aceh Tamiang Regency, Aceh, an area that was severely affected by the disaster.

The assignment of the IPDN team was emphasized as a humanitarian mission as well as a real field practice in supporting the local government wheel that was paralyzed by the disaster. Tito said that all sub-districts in Aceh Tamiang were affected, with more than 200 villages experiencing severe damage.

"Practice with the ASN of the Ministry of Home Affairs, caregivers, to help revive the regency, sub-district, village governments," said Tito when releasing the departure of the IPDN Praja at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Saturday.

He explained, until now, a number of government offices from the district to village levels are still filled with mud. The administrative system has not fully recovered, while the population service and information technology are not yet running optimally.

According to Tito, the assignment is an honor and pride because the people who were sent away were selected from thousands of other participants. He assessed the experience of directly dealing with post-disaster government issues as a rare learning that could not be obtained in the classroom.

"This is a very valuable experience, not everyone can experience it," said Tito.

He added that this activity is part of the real work lecture and is included in the IPDN learning curriculum so that it will become an academic assessment material for the public.

The Minister of Home Affairs also revealed that President Prabowo Subianto appreciated the Ministry of Home Affairs' step of sending IPDN troops to disaster-affected areas. The President even encouraged other service schools to do the same according to their respective sciences.

"For example, the service school in the field of transportation is to see how the transportation system, airports are affected, ports including small ports," said Tito.

This assignment of the IPDN prefecture is an example of the government's rapid approach to restoring state functions at the local level, by combining humanitarian missions, education, and strengthening the capacity of local governments in crisis situations.