Incuded in Prolegnas, the Disaster Management Bill is Expected to Improve Coordination

JAKARTA (January 25, 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs hopes that the Disaster Management Bill (RUU) will soon be discussed with the Indonesian Parliament. Social Minister Juliari P. Batubara stated that the Disaster Management Bill has now entered the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

Juliari stated that the important substance regulated in the bill is strengthening the disaster management system.

"So, what needs to be regulated is how the disaster management system is. Namely how to handle before, during (disaster emergency) and post-disaster, between related parties in a coordinated manner," said Juliari in Jakarta, Saturday (25/01/2020).

On a separate occasion, the Director General of Social Security Protection Harry Hikmat stated that this bill is more concerned with the system and process approach. Where in disaster management will be regulated starting from prevention, mitigation, emergency preparedness, emergency transitional response, to reconstruction and rehabilitation stages, into a system that runs coordinated from the centre to the regions.

"This is what will be regulated in this bill. What is already in place now is Law No. 24/2007 on Disaster Management. Law 24 regulates more on institutional strengthening," said Harry.

The institution referred to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) which has authority from the centre to the regions with the establishment of BNPBD in the regions.

"This has been running relatively well. Naturally, the substance of Law No. 24 is more on how to regulate institutions. That's why it was a necessity when Law No. 24 was formed," he said.

Previously, the issue of disaster management was highlighted in the Commission VIII Work Meeting (Raker) with Juliari and the Head of BNPB (15/01), following the floods that hit Jabotabek, West Java and Banten, early January.

Several People's Representative Council (DPR) members voiced a similar opinion, namely the need to improve and strengthen coordination, comparable to the disaster-prone conditions of the country.

The meeting was led by the Chairperson of Commission VIII Yandri Susanto, attended by all Deputy Chairmen of the Commission and most of its members. The meeting was dynamic with many responses to questions, input, and appreciation of the disaster management steps undertaken by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

The voices of parliamentarians are mostly concerned with the broad spectrum and stakeholders involved in disaster management. So that even though the Ministry of Social Affairs and BNPB have worked optimally, in general, the impact of the disaster is still quite extensive.

A more systematic and coordinated mechanism is needed which involves all related parties.

Public Relations Bureau

Ministry of Social Affairs