Prabowo rejects foreign aid, Medan City Government returns 30 tons of rice from UAE

Medan Mayor Rico Tri Putra Waas receives disaster assistance from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Medan, Saturday, December 13, 2025 (ANTARA/HO-Medan City Government Public Relations)

MEDAN - The Medan City Government (Pemkot) has decided to return flood disaster assistance in the form of 30 tons of rice that had previously been received from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The decision was taken after the Medan City Government checked the central government regulations regarding President Prabowo Subianto's policy regarding the receipt of assistance from foreign parties.

The Medan City Government is known to have received assistance from the UAE on December 14, 2025. The assistance consists of 30 tons of rice, 300 food packages, baby supplies, and worship tools which are intended for flood victims in Medan City.

However, specifically for rice assistance, the Medan City Government decided to return it. Medan Mayor Rico Waas explained that this step was taken as a form of compliance with the instructions and policies of the central government, although his party still appreciates the good intentions and solidarity provided by the UAE.

"Indeed, the government has not received or received assistance from foreign parties. So we return it and it can be used again later," said Rico Waas in his statement quoted on Thursday, December 18.

He emphasized that the policy applies nationwide so that the Medan City Government cannot receive rice assistance from abroad, even though the post-flood recovery process in Medan City has not been completely completed.

"But for Medan City, it did not accept it," said Rico.

For information, heavy flooding hit Medan City in late November 2025 due to extreme weather in the form of heavy rain that occurred from 20 to 27 November. The disaster resulted in 85,591 people affected and displaced from 514 flood points to 305 evacuation locations.

The evacuation locations are spread across various places, ranging from places of worship, sub-district offices, to village offices. A number of residential areas in Medan City, North Sumatra, were also briefly flooded with varying heights.

As an emergency handling step, the Medan City Government has set the emergency response status for the flood disaster from November 27 to December 11, 2025.

Since the determination of the status, logistical assistance from the central government, the North Sumatra Provincial Government, and the Medan City Government has begun to be distributed to affected residents and continues until the post-flood recovery period.