President Jokowi Calls for Immediate Reconstruction in Disaster-Struck Gunung Kidul Regency
President Jokowi inspects a crossing bridge in Bejiharjo Village, Karangmojo District, Saturday (9/12). (Photo by: Bureacu of Press and Media/BPMI)
In his working visit on Saturday (9/11), President Joko Jokowi Widodo inspects the impacts of floods and landslides that hit Gunung Kidul Regency in Yogyakarta Province. President Jokowi also ensured that the Government would provide good handling for the displaced residents.
I would like to inspect on the ground, particularly matters related to the displaced residents, as well as damaged education facilities and infrastructures, the President said in Bejiharjo Village, Karangmojo District, Saturday (9/12).
During the visit, President Jokowi also hopes to find out the amount of budget that must be allocated by the regional governments and the Central Government to restore public facilities damaged by the disasters.
Take this bridge for example. Although this is a small bridge, since were in an emergency situation and the regency government does not have funds to repair the bridge, either the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) or Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing will repair the bridge, the President said, adding that the repair process of the bridge is targeted to be completed in the next three months at the latest.
Regarding the handling of the displaced residents, President Jokowi ensured that basic services and health services are already provided well and most importantly, the President said, school activities must no longer be disrupted.
Ive also instructed Head of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) to immediately build damaged houses and to begin the rebuilding process of damaged schools in January (next year), the President said.
For the record, floods and landslides that hit Gunung Kidul Regency recently has damaged a number of bridges and other public facilities, isolating hundreds of residents and forcing them to cover dozens of kilometers to reach other regions. In the wake of the disaster, President Jokowi has also instructed his cabinet to immediately address this problem, not only in Gunung Kidul Regency but also in its surrounding areas affected by extreme weather and floods.
The restoration process will not only be done in Gunung Kidul Regency, but also in neighboring areas such as Pacitan and Wonogiri. We will allocate and divide the budget both from regional budgets and from the Central Government, the President said as quoted in the press release of Head of Media, Press and Protocol Bureau of Presidential Secretariat Bey Machmudin.
Accompanying the President during the visit were Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, BNPB Head Willem Rampangilei and Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. (BPMI/EN) (EP/YM/Naster)
