Reminds That Disaster And Emergency Management Must Synergize, Jokowi: Throw Away Sectoral Ego

Illustration-Basarnas evacuates ship passengers (Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to strengthen synergy and collaboration. He reminded that there should be no sectoral ego when handling a disaster or emergency.

This was conveyed when he gave a speech at the online Basarnas National Working Meeting (Rakernas) today, February 21.

"Strengthen synergies and collaborations. Search and rescue work is an integrated work involving ministries, involving government agencies TNI, Polri, business entities, community organizations, and other SAR potential," said Jokowi as shown on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube.

Jokowi said handling a disaster or emergency is a humanitarian operation. Thus, all parties must work together and put aside sectoral egos.

"Get rid of the sectoral ego. All must work together in humanitarian operations," said the former governor of DKI Jakarta.

In addition, Jokowi also asked Basarnas to do several things, including increasing the latest technology-based innovations. This step, he continued, must be done to save the community.

"Basarnas must not be left behind in terms of technology, it must quickly adapt to the latest developments in SAR technology," he said.

Next, Jokowi asked for the competence of human resources (HR) to be improved. "The SAR HR must have relevant expertise to the needs of today's situation and ensure the safety of the SAR team at work," he said.

Finally, Jokowi asked to strengthen prevention, mitigation, and anticipation. In addition, education and technical training for SAR must be provided massively to the community.

"We have to build awareness so that people are more concerned and are quick to take preventive measures, especially in disaster-prone areas and emergency areas so that a SAR culture and emergency resilience community can be built," he concluded.