JAKARTA – Alex Indra Lukman, Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), has urged the government to establish a special body dedicated to managing the widespread impacts of hydrometeorological disasters across Sumatra.
According to Lukman, this specialized entity is crucial given the diverse and extensive damage caused by flash floods, which have ravaged 52 districts and cities across three provinces in Sumatra: Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
“While Indonesia possesses experience in managing the aftermath of major catastrophes such as the Aceh-Nias tsunami in 2024, as well as earthquakes, liquefaction, floods, and landslides, the current scale of flooding and landslides, compounded by massive environmental degradation, is unprecedented. Therefore, the establishment of this special body is absolutely essential,” Alex asserted in a written statement on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
The PDI Perjuangan politician from West Sumatra conveyed this recommendation in response to President Prabowo’s recent approval of the Kuala Task Force. This task force was proposed by Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during a limited meeting held at temporary shelters constructed by Danantara in Aceh Tamiang Regency, Aceh Province, on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
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The Kuala Task Force is slated to focus primarily on dredging rivers choked by massive mud accumulation in disaster-affected areas, alongside transforming turbid water into clean potable water.
“We believe this Task Force deserves to have its status elevated to a special body. Its mandate should extend beyond merely dredging rivers to encompass a more comprehensive approach to disaster impact management and to eliminate technical constraints related to authority,” Alex emphasized.
Furthermore, Lukman highlighted that this catastrophic situation has the potential to persist for an extended period, as the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasts high rainfall to continue until March 2025.
Lukman pointed out that a dedicated special body would streamline funding for the crucial rehabilitation and reconstruction phases, preventing budgets from being dispersed across numerous ministries and institutions.
“For the special body’s budget, it would simply require coordination with relevant ministries or institutions. This means we wouldn’t need to amend the State Budget Law, as the budget would be centralized under one dedicated entity,” Alex elaborated.
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Moreover, the Chairman of PDI Perjuangan West Sumatra asserted that such a special body would provide certainty to local governments and, more importantly, to disaster survivors, demonstrating the state’s direct and planned presence in tackling the extensive impacts of these floods.
“The Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) gained international recognition for its effective leadership and transparent, corruption-free management. We aspire to replicate similar successes in the handling of the Sumatra floods,” Alex explained, contrasting this ideal with the corruption cases involving disaster funds at the Samosir Social and Village Community Empowerment Agency (PMD) in North Sumatra.
“The Aceh-Nias BRR model achieved distinct accomplishments, accelerating infrastructure development and human resources, even contributing to the resolution of the Aceh conflict with GAM. It left behind a legacy of a robust disaster management system that has since been adopted by other nations, including China and Vietnam,” Lukman stated.
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The impact of the Sumatra floods extends to a vast array of public facilities. In total, 3,188 educational facilities, 803 places of worship, 215 health facilities, 81 road sections, and 34 bridges have been damaged by the floods and landslides across the affected regions.
When broken down by province, Aceh consistently bears the brunt of the damage, recording the highest number of affected public facilities.
Specifically in Aceh, the toll includes 1,312 educational facilities, 631 places of worship, 141 health facilities, 17 bridges, and 38 road sections impacted by the deluge and landslides.
West Sumatra reports significant facility damage, encompassing 659 educational facilities, 150 places of worship, 7 health facilities, 13 bridges, and 31 road sections.
Meanwhile, North Sumatra has recorded 659 educational facilities, 22 places of worship, 67 health facilities, 4 bridges, and 12 road sections reported to be affected by the flooding.
As of Friday, January 2, 2026, the human cost of the disaster is stark: a total of 1,157 lives have been lost.
This devastating toll includes 530 fatalities in Aceh, 365 in North Sumatra, and 262 in West Sumatra.
Additionally, 165 individuals remain missing. West Sumatra accounts for the highest number of missing persons with 72, followed by North Sumatra with 60, and Aceh with 31.
The total number of displaced persons has reached 380,287, with the vast majority, 356,658 individuals, seeking refuge in Aceh.(fri/jpnn)
Summary
Alex Indra Lukman, Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the House of Representatives, has urged the government to establish a special body for managing the widespread impacts of hydrometeorological disasters across Sumatra. He argues this entity is crucial due to the unprecedented scale of damage from flash floods and landslides, which have affected 52 districts and cities in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, exacerbated by massive environmental degradation. This special body would provide a more comprehensive approach than existing task forces.
Lukman highlighted that such a body would streamline funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction, preventing budget dispersion across various ministries. It aims to replicate the success of the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) in effective and transparent management. The proposal is supported by the extensive damage, including 1,157 fatalities, 165 missing persons, over 380,000 displaced, and thousands of damaged public facilities across the region.