Governor Mualem Requests National Mobilization of Defense Minister to Accelerate Disaster Management |

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Aceh Governor H. Muzakir Manaf (Mualem) requested the central government's full support to expedite the response to the floods and landslides that have paralyzed various regions in Aceh.

The Governor made this statement while receiving the Indonesian Minister of Defense, General (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, who visited Aceh along with the TNI Commander, General Agus Subiyanto, and the Head of the Ministry of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, Air Marshal Jusuf Jauhari, at the Aceh Disaster Management Command Post at Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force Base on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

During the meeting, Mualem reported directly on the increasingly critical conditions on the ground. He mentioned that several areas remain inaccessible, particularly in Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh, and East Aceh.

"We are overwhelmed with transportation. Many areas are flooded and experiencing landslides. In Southeast Aceh and Gayo Lues, there are many points of contact. In North Aceh, especially Sawang, several villages are still unconnected. We can't reach them. In East Aceh, on the border with Gayo Lues, residents are starting to starve. Fuel is unavailable. The national highway is cut off," said Mualem.

He hopes the presence of the Minister of Defense and the TNI Commander will expedite air mobilization and logistical assistance so that first access to isolated areas can be immediately opened.

Iskandar Muda Military Commander, Major General Joko Hadi Susilo, reported that the IM Military Command (Kodam IM) and the Aceh Regional Police have deployed thousands of personnel for rescue operations and aid distribution.

"East Aceh and Central Aceh are still isolated. We are building suspension bridges for logistics distribution," said IM Military Commander, Joko Hadi Susilo. He also explained the allocation of evacuation routes and logistics delivery by land, air, and sea.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin emphasized that the central government will take swift action by strengthening air mobility, expediting evacuations, and ensuring electricity is restored soon.

"The first step is to strengthen air mobility. We are concentrating on all logistics. Electricity must be restored as soon as possible. We will increase the number of helicopters. Land and air evacuations must be accelerated," Sjafrie emphasized. He also instructed all hospitals in Aceh to be on full alert and additional medical personnel to be dispatched from Jakarta.

The Minister of Defense also proposed the installation of Starlink internet to support communications in areas that were completely cut off, ensuring effective command and control. For the initial stage, the Minister of Defense instructed the rapid distribution of logistics by air.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander expressed his appreciation for the Aceh Government's swift response and reminded soldiers to maintain vigilance because the potential for further disasters remains high.

The Minister of Defense also inquired about the Aceh government's readiness to handle the disaster and whether it was necessary to raise the disaster status to a national emergency. Governor Mualem responded that the scale of the damage was already extensive. Initially, he and the Aceh Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkopimda) had declared a provincial emergency status. "But considering the conditions in the three provinces and the scale of the disaster, it could potentially become a national emergency," Governor Mualem said.

The Minister of Defense confirmed that he would immediately report the results of the field evaluation to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for further decision. "I will convey this to the President. In the meantime, all elements must continue to strengthen monitoring and response," concluded Sjafrie. []