Prabowo Boosts Disaster Mitigation Investment, Orders Water Bombing Aircraft

President Prabowo Subianto is set to significantly increase investment in disaster mitigation, aiming to bolster Indonesia's capacity to handle disasters, including forest and land fires. The government is preparing to acquire additional helicopters and has ordered several large aircraft for water bombing operations. "I am determined to improve our mitigation capabilities. We must strengthen the agencies that face disasters," Prabowo stated during the Presidential Answering Program on Wednesday, September 16. He emphasized the need for a substantial air fleet, including hundreds of helicopters, to ensure faster responses to forest and land fires, confirming that orders for large water bombing aircraft have already been placed. Prabowo linked disaster preparedness with effective state resource management, warning that corruption could undermine the government's ability to manage crises. "If we cannot take care of our resources, we will later experience weaknesses in facing the situations we need," he cautioned. He also highlighted Indonesia's vulnerability to geological disasters due to its location on the "Ring of Fire," alongside its rich natural resources like gold and rare earth metals. Consequently, he stressed the importance of efficient institutions for managing these resources and mitigating disaster risks. The president also noted that his administration has implemented budget efficiencies since its inception, including the elimination of birthday celebration budgets within ministries. "When I took over the government, I checked the budget. Each ministry has a budget for birthdays. And it's not a little. I eliminated it. There's no need to celebrate birthdays," he said. He claimed that this initiative saved over Rp300 trillion in the first year of his administration, with these funds being redirected to productive programs. This claim of saving over Rp300 trillion was previously made by Prabowo in February 2026. Source: VOI English