The (currently required) assistance is not the food and clothing, no, what is needed is assistance in the form of cash that can be obtained through a grant mechanism.
Cianjur, W Java (ANTARA) - Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian invited all local governments across Indonesia to grant funds to the government of Cianjur District, West Java Province, after an earthquake caused many casualties and damaged several buildings.

"The (currently required) assistance is not the food and clothing, no, what is needed is assistance in the form of cash that can be obtained through a grant mechanism," he stated at the Head of Cianjur District’s Hall here on Tuesday evening.

He noted that currently, the rest of Cianjur District government's Unexpected Expenditures (BTT) fund reached only Rp5 billion, while the remaining BTT budget of the West Java Provincial Government was Rp20 billion.

The amount will not be sufficient to optimally recover the district from the impacts of the disaster, he noted.

The minister said that BTT budget of Rp12 trillion was remaining from 548 local governments in Indonesia.

Related news: Government to revitalize state assets damaged in Cianjur quake

Until now, the regional governments had only utilized less than Rp3 trillion of the BTT budget, he noted.

"It means that there are still around remains in Rp9 trillion. Some of it will be used for anticipating the inflation, while the rest is reserved for disaster (handling). It is the reason I appeal to my fellow district heads and mayors, especially in West Java Province, (to provide the grant)," he remarked.

Later, he would convey the detailed mechanism for the grant to the associations of governors, district heads, and mayors throughout Indonesia.

He emphasized the need for mutual cooperation in the efforts to conduct disaster mitigation.

"I urge all regional heads to provide grant assistance, (even if each of them only gives) Rp100 million, (it) will be very useful," Karnavian said.

He noted that since there are over 500 districts and cities in Indonesia, the grant will total over Rp50 billion.

"Since similar disasters can happen anywhere else at another time -- still, hopefully, no other disaster will happen. We all must work together to help," he added.

Monday’s 5.6-M quake was centered on land, specifically, 10 kilometers (km) underground, southwest of Cianjur District, West Java Province.

Related news: Cianjur quake: Death toll climbs to 268
Related news: BNPB prioritizing Cianjur quake victims' search for next 72 hours



Translator: Bagus Rizaldi, Uyu Liman
Editor: Suharto
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