Minister PU Tak Segan Bentak Children of the Fruit who are Slow to Handle the Flood in the Middle of Sumatra

Minister PU Dody Hanggodo (VOI/Theresia Agatha).

JAKARTA - The Minister of Public Works (PU), Dody Hanggodo, admitted that he would not punish the ranks in the field in handling flash floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

He said, in the event of a disaster emergency, the main focus is on the speed of work and the safety of the community.

Therefore, the approach taken is not a normal work pattern as usual. According to Dody, officials or employees who show performance beyond expectations will be given appreciation, even open the opportunity for a promotion. Awards can be given to anyone regardless of their initial position.

"I try to make sure there is no punishment because this is about a disaster. If I complain on location, yes, I swear, yes. If there is no punishment."

"I try not to. If the reward (award), yes. If it succeeds, maybe I can raise it to become a director general," said Dody in a media briefing at the PU Ministry's office, Jakarta, Friday, January 16, 2026.

Dody assessed that disaster management depends heavily on the time factor. Any delay, he said, is directly at risk to the safety of the affected community. Therefore, disaster management cannot be equated with routine government work.

In a disaster situation, what is at stake is not just physical or administrative targets, but human lives.

Therefore, he ensured that he would give awards to the ranks who were able to work quickly and produce good quality work.

"This is about disasters. The disaster is running towards time, loh. Time, time. We can't play with time if the disaster is because what we are risking is life," he said.

According to Dody, he will still be firm on the field. Regarding reprimanding or even scolding the ranks who are considered slow in working is a natural thing, especially when it comes to vital services, such as health centers and health facilities.

In emergency disaster situations, according to Dody, there is no room to delay work. Handling in the Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra regions, he said, should not use the usual work pattern because it is directly related to human life.

"If I try not to punish. I complain, yes, I get angry, yes, I shout, yes, because this is our relationship with human life," said Dody.

To maintain work effectiveness, continued Dody, his party strengthened the formation of a special task force (satgas) in the disaster-affected areas. This step was taken so that the directors-general were not concentrated only in one area.

"If later all the pressure is on these three (provinces), then Maluku will be angry, Papua will be angry, Kalimantan will be angry. So, I'd better make a task force. So, the point of view is to the task force only," he said.

With the task force, it is hoped that coordination and decision-making can be carried out faster because the communication line is directly connected to him. Meanwhile, other structural officials can still handle other areas.

"So, these directors can be shifted for some time to think about others. Not only West Sumatra, North, and Aceh," he added.