President Prabowo has his own assessments. The decision must be issued in the form of a decree, so it rests entirely with him,Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has not declared a national disaster emergency over the severe floods in Sumatra because the situation remains manageable through coordinated efforts with local governments, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Ahmad Muzani said on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists after an afternoon tea meeting with the president at the State Palace in Jakarta, Muzani said authorities assessed that current response efforts in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra remained effective.
“The government can control the situation quickly, and coordination with district, city and provincial governments is underway,” he said when asked why Prabowo has not issued a national-emergency decree.
He said recovery operations are being closely managed by the president, who is coordinating with ministers and agency heads, including the chiefs of state utilities PLN and Pertamina, to restore power and fuel supply in disaster-hit zones.
“Everything is directed so conditions return to normal as soon as possible,” Muzani said.
He reiterated that declaring a national emergency is solely the president’s authority and requires a presidential decree backed by careful consideration.
“President Prabowo has his own assessments. The decision must be issued in the form of a decree, so it rests entirely with him,” he said, declining to detail the factors under review.
Muzani added that the government continues to deploy all available resources to support relief and ensure public needs are met across affected regions.
Calls for a national-emergency declaration have grown in recent days. Lawmaker Rahmat Saleh, for instance, said the scale of hydrometeorological damage in West Sumatra, Aceh and North Sumatra demands stronger central-government intervention.
“What matters now is ensuring aid quickly reaches those in need. Local governments are working hard, but their capacity has limits,” Rahmat said on Nov. 30.
He argued the designation would accelerate inter-agency coordination and enable faster mobilization of logistics, rescue personnel and heavy equipment to open access routes and support evacuations.
West Sumatra lawmaker Mulyadi echoed the demand, citing extensive destruction and high casualty numbers, which he said meet the threshold for a national disaster.
Senator Irman Gusman of West Sumatra also urged immediate action, saying the scale of damage across the three provinces has crippled daily life, destroyed vital infrastructure and severed land, sea and air access—far exceeding local governments’ capacity to respond.
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Translator: Andi F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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