Sumatra floods: SOEs join hands to speed up aid delivery

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s sovereign wealth manager Danantara and the State-Owned Enterprises Regulatory Agency (BP BUMN) have set up a joint command center to map urgent needs, consolidate relief supplies across SOEs and prepare alternative distribution routes to flood-stricken Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.

In recent days, SOEs have moved aid by air to reach isolated areas, with the first flights dispatched over the weekend and follow-up deliveries on Monday.

“When the public is in need, the SOE family moves as one. Speed is essential,” Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani said in a statement on Tuesday.

With aircraft support from Garuda Indonesia and Citilink, about 9.4 tonnes of aid were flown from Kualanamu airport to Aceh and then on to Lhokseumawe, he said.

Local disaster agencies and military units received the cargo for distribution to shelters, public facilities and areas accessible only by high-clearance vehicles or boats.

SOEs have consolidated tens of tonnes of baby supplies, blankets, basic food items, formula milk, ready-to-eat meals, medicines, vaccines and other logistics for shelters and stranded subdistricts, including materials to set up public kitchens and support evacuation teams.

“Emergency posts have been opened at multiple points to distribute essentials and provide medical services,” Rosan said.

He added that restoring public services remains a priority to help residents resume daily activities. Telkom Group reported 12 switching offices knocked out, affecting thousands of base stations.

“Restoration continues even as some locations are reachable only by rubber boats,” Rosan said.

State electricity firm PLN shipped grid components and generators using Air Force Hercules planes and helicopters to install 41 gensets at hospitals, ports and logistics hubs.

Pertamina has reinforced fuel and LPG supplies by deploying fuel trucks, increasing supply from Padang and sending 30 LPG skid tanks from Dumai. It has also provided emergency fuel for heavy equipment, 5,000 litres of Dexlite in North Tapanuli and 6,000 litres of aviation fuel for BNPB flight missions.

Following the first airlifts, Rosan said SOEs are preparing additional shipments to other parts of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Consolidation continues across SOEs, with the next deliveries planned via air and sea depending on weather and ground access.

“This is only the first phase. We will keep working with BP BUMN and all SOEs to ensure aid reaches affected communities and recovery accelerates,” Rosan said.