As Head Of BNPB, Jokowi Reminds Suharyanto: Now Is Disaster Season

Screenshot of the inauguration of Major General Suharyanto as Head of BNPB which was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube

JAKARTA - Major General TNI Suharyanto has just been appointed by President Joko Widodi to be the Head of the Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). After being inaugurated, Suharyanto admitted that he received a warning to Jokowi that currently, disasters were frequently engulfing Indonesia.

"The president advised us, this is a disaster season, so we must work immediately", said Suharyanto on the Presidential Secretariat's Youtube video, Wednesday, November 17.

Jokowi's message to Suharyanto refers to the condition of the rainy season in Indonesia which was followed by the La Nina phenomenon. In this phase, the level of rainfall intensity becomes high and can trigger a hydrometeorological disaster.

In disaster management, Indonesia cannot be separated from disasters. Because the geographical location is such that it almost certainly moves a lot, there are many earthquakes at the end and the beginning of the year like this, flooding everywhere requires the presence of BNPB", he said.

Therefore, Suharyanto promised his agency would immediately attend the disaster-affected locations. He said BNPB would immediately assist in handling and easing the burden on the affected communities.

"In the event of a disaster, BNPB will be present in the shortest possible time to help the people affected by this disaster immediately receive assistance and immediately obtain basic life rights", said Suharyanto.

BNPB, said Suharyanto, will always be present in all stages of disaster management, starting from improving preparedness, education, mitigation, emergency response, to the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.

"It must be present at the time of the disaster, emergency response so that people affected by this disaster can certainly not be too long to bear the effects of the disaster", he concluded.