Chairman of The Commission VIII House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia: Ministry of Social Affairs is Extraordinary in Handling Lebak Disaster

LEBAK (January 31st 2020) - Chairman of Commission VIII House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) Yandri Susanto praised the Ministry of Social Affairs' quick steps in dealing with flash floods and landslides in Lebak Regency. The handling of affected residents was carried out shortly after the disaster occurred through Disaster Preparedness Cadet.

The Ministry of Social Affairs is also moving fast by meeting the basic needs of refugees by mobilizing a public kitchen in the field to support the refugee posts established by the local government. Apart from ready-to-eat food, the Ministry of Social Affairs also distributed other assistance needed by refugees during the emergency response period.

"During the specific visit of Commission VIII DPR RI to ensure disaster management in Lebak Regency. If you look at the report from the Ministry of Social Affairs, the handling is extraordinary, ”said Yandri while leading a specific work visit, in Lebak, Friday (31/01/2020).

The standard step of the Ministry of Social Affairs in handling floods including floods and landslides in Lebak is to coordinate with the closest elements, in addition to the deployment of Disaster Preparedness Cadet (Tagana) to collect data and evacuate victims to a safe place.

Apart from that, it also distributes logistics to fulfill the basic needs of victims of natural disasters, sourced from central warehouses and Banten. Then apart from opening public kitchen services in the field, they also organized psychosocial support services to meet the basic needs of survivors in refugee camps.

On that occasion, Yandri symbolically handed over assistance for floods and landslides worth IDR. 221,353,140 to the Regent of Lebak, accompanied by relevant officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

Assistance in the form of ready-to-eat food, children's food, instant noodles, side dishes, family kits, kidsware, foodware, family kitchen utensils, roll tents, mattresses and blankets

Director of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims (PSKBS) Syafei Nasution said the assistance that had been distributed to Lebak Regency was a total of IDR. 4.4 billion including IDR. 221,353,140 assistance which was handed over symbolically. In addition, the assistance provided is life insurance assistance.

Lebak Regent Iti Oktavia Jayabaya said that on January 1st, 2020 there was a flash flood and landslide disaster in Lebak Regency. The disaster hit six sub-districts which resulted in 916 houses being affected, namely Lebak Gedong, Cipanas, Sajira, Curug Bitung, Maja and Cimarga Districts.

"Flash floods were caused by the overflow of three rivers, namely the Ciberang River, the Cisimeut River and the Ciujung River. Meanwhile, landslides occurred in the Lebak Gedong area. We are very happy and thank the government for handling the disaster very quickly, "said Iti.

The group of members of Commission VIII DPR RI was received directly by the Regent of Lebak Iti Oktavia Jayabaya and the Deputy Regent of Lebak Ade Sumardi at the State Building, Lebak Regency Government. There were 15 members of the Commission VIII House of  Representatives RI, namely Yandri Susanto, TB Ace Hasan Syadzily, Mochammad Hasb Asyidiki Jayabayai, IGN Kesuma Kelakan, Samsu Niang, Jhon Kenedy Azis, Muhammad Ali Ridho, Abdul Wachid, Saiful Rasyid, Nurhadi, Anisah Syakur, Nanang Samodra, Iskan Qolba Lubis, M Ali Taher, and Iip Miftahul Choiry.

Representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs were present Director of PKSBS Syafei Nasution, Head of Sub-Directorate for Emergency Response Sunarti, and Head of the Inter-Agency Relations Section of the Public Relations Bureau Dian Setiawan. In addition, there were representatives of BNPB as well.