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Indonesia Slashes Rescue Agency Budget Amid Disaster Surge
28 Jan
Summary
- Basarnas faces a 4.5% budget cut to fund presidential priorities.
- Indonesia is highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- The agency has 38 offices but needs more to cover 514 regions.
Indonesia's parliamentary panel has approved a 4.5% budget reduction for the national rescue agency, Basarnas, amounting to 69.38 billion rupiah. This cut, from 1.55 trillion to 1.48 trillion rupiah, is part of a government initiative to redirect funds towards President Prabowo Subianto's prioritized programs, including meal initiatives and defense spending.
The decision comes as Indonesia, situated on the "Pacific Ring of Fire," faces a high frequency of seismic and volcanic activity. Recent events include deadly floods and landslides in West Java, where 32 people remain missing, and major flooding on Sumatra that displaced over a million residents and killed 1,200.
Despite acknowledging the agency's crucial role and the increasing disaster frequency, the parliamentary committee proceeded with the cuts. Basarnas leadership accepted the decision, highlighting the need for improved regional office coverage, as the agency currently has only 38 offices for 514 regions, and emphasizing the necessity of sufficient funding to optimize rapid response capabilities.
