“Today we are sending Rp34.8 billion (US$2 million) worth of goods, including rice, milk, sausages, instant noodles, and mineral water,” Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said during the aid send-off on Thursday.
He said the assistance, transported in around 207 logistics trucks, was collected from donations contributed by ministry officials and staff, partner companies, and state-owned enterprises.
Sulaiman noted that total donations collected reached Rp75.85 billion (US$4.5 million), with deliveries carried out in phases.
“The amount was pooled from our staff, whose donations totaled Rp10 billion,” he said. He added that companies wishing to donate through the ministry contributed between Rp1 million (US$60) and Rp200 million (US$12,000).
The trucks carried 25 tons of rice, 35 tons of cooking oil, 38 tons of sugar, 1,780 boxes of milk, and 2,480 boxes of mineral water.
According to the minister, the trucks will be transported to Sumatra aboard the KRI Banda Aceh, an Indonesian Navy vessel. A total of 70 trucks will be shipped each to Aceh and North Sumatra, while West Sumatra will receive 67 trucks.
“The ship will arrive in West Sumatra, then sail to Sibolga in North Sumatra, and finally to Aceh. We have allocated the aid supplies,” Sulaiman said.
Floods and landslides have recently hit Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra following several days of intense rainfall.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of December 4, the disasters have killed 776 people, left 564 missing, and affected a total of 3.2 million residents.
President Prabowo Subianto visited several disaster-affected areas on Monday and said the government would airlift supplies to isolated locations while ground access remains cut off.
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Translator: M Harianto, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Primayanti
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