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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Disasters & Emergencies

Prabowo calls for a major increase in Indonesia’s disaster mitigation budget

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • President Prabowo Subianto called for a significant increase in Indonesia’s disaster mitigation budget during a virtual meeting on disaster management.
  • He ordered officials to plan for resources above minimum requirements, including helicopters, water pumps, fire engines and village-level excavators.
  • The government is considering an aircraft carrier modified for helicopter and drone operations, alongside expanded weather modification efforts.

President Prabowo Subianto has called for a major increase in Indonesia’s disaster mitigation budget as authorities respond to several emergencies across the country.

"We must be ready to face situations like this at any time. This is also a lesson for us and for the government I lead: the budget allocation for disaster mitigation must be increased significantly," Prabowo said while opening a virtual limited meeting from Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on September 7, 2026.

We must be ready to face situations like this at any time. This is also a lesson for us and for the government I lead: the budget allocation for disaster mitigation must be increased significantly.

· Prabowo SubiantoThe Indonesian president called for a larger mitigation budget during a disaster-management meeting.

Indonesia is dealing with a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Flores, volcanic activity at Mount Anak Krakatau, forest and land fires, and haze. Prabowo said the country’s position on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes advance preparation essential.

He instructed State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi to coordinate with Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and National Development Planning Minister Rachmat Pambudy on mitigation plans based on resources above minimum requirements. "More helicopters are better, more water pumps are better, and more fire engines are better. So we are ready before an incident occurs," he said.

More helicopters are better, more water pumps are better, and more fire engines are better. So we are ready before an incident occurs.

· Prabowo SubiantoHe urged officials to prepare equipment above minimum requirements.

Prabowo also called for more small excavators at village level, especially in areas that frequently experience forest and land fires, and ordered a comprehensive master plan covering equipment and facilities. The government plans to use an Italian aircraft carrier expected to join the Indonesian Navy for disaster response. The vessel would be modified to support helicopters and drones and could carry up to 10 medium-sized helicopters, each able to transport about four to five tons of water for aerial firefighting.

The government also intends to expand aircraft-based weather modification operations. Prabowo asked the National Research and Innovation Agency to study which materials would work best. "We need to prepare for mitigation, not wait for an incident to happen. We have to prepare well in advance," he said.

We need to prepare for mitigation, not wait for an incident to happen. We have to prepare well in advance.

· Prabowo SubiantoHe emphasized advance planning and preparation for disasters.
About this summary

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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