Speaking during the third release of Sumatra disaster aid at the Military Sealift Command Headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said the shipment followed President Prabowo Subianto's directive for ministries to work together.
"All relevant ministries and agencies are collaborating with the Navy to send supplies to Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. This is the third shipment we have dispatched," Sulaiman said.
He said government assistance distributed so far included 44,000 tons of rice, 6,000 tons of cooking oil, and other basic necessities, with a total value exceeding Rp1 trillion (around US$60 million).
Aid from organizations and state-owned food enterprises amounted to about Rp75 billion and has been delivered in stages, he added.
In the latest shipment, 70 aid trucks were dispatched, carrying mattresses, cooking oil, ready-to-eat meals, hygiene kits, and other essential supplies.
The government also sent water purification equipment, power generators, and emergency supplies, supported by the Navy, which deployed 310 marine troops to assist response efforts in affected areas.
Sulaiman said the government would continue sending additional assistance based on conditions on the ground.
"We are a nation of 286 million people. If we work together to deal with the Sumatra disaster, the burden becomes lighter and recovery can be faster," he said.
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Translator: Harianto, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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