Central Sulawesi Regional Government Resumes its Operation: President Jokowi

President Jokowi answers questions from journalists after the opening ceremony of the National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Islamic Preaching Institutions (LDII) at Minhajurrosyidin Islamic Boarding School, Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, Wednesday (10/10). Photo by: Rahmat/ Public Relations Division of Cabinet Secretariat.

Local governments in Central Sulawesi, including regency/municipality governments and provincial government, have resumed their operation after a major earthquake and tsunami hit the region, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

“However, the operation has not fully restored since many families (of the Government officials) are also the victims (of the disasters),” the President told the journalists after the opening ceremony of the National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Islamic Preaching Institutions (LDII) at Minhajurrosyidin Islamic Boarding School, Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, Wednesday (10/10).

President Jokowi also said that local government officials have started performing their job in public services, although many of them got their houses destroyed by the quake and the tsunami. The local police, the president said, also lost more than 200 personnel, only 30 of them have been found.

“The real condition is different from what we think, it is very different, “President Jokowi said.

The most important thing, according to the President, is that fuel supply is good and 70 percent of the electricity has been restored. “I think we should appreciate the workers who swiftly fix the damage; they fix collapsed poles, fix broken cables, do heavy work manually without adequate equipment, “The President added.

President Jokowi went on to say that it will take some time for Central Sulawesi to recover after the quake hit the regions and, in spite of all the difficulties, the Government has deployed the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), and other state institutions to conduct the post-quake relief.

(DNA/RAH/ES) (RI/MMB/Naster)