Jakarta, 3 December 2025 – The devastating hydrometeorological disaster that struck across Sumatra (Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra) was not just an ordinary natural phenomenon, but the culmination of chronic ecological governance failures. According to the latest data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), as of December 2, 2025, 712 people were killed, 507 people were missing, and more than 1,1 million residents were forced to evacuateThe massive scale of the damage demands a unified, nationally-led, solidarity response that transcends regional bureaucratic barriers.
Researcher The PRAKARSAAri Wibowo highlighted the cross-ecoregional nature of this disaster. "This disaster hit a very wide area simultaneously. We are seeing extraordinary challenges in these areas." borders "Such as Sibolga and Barus in North Sumatra. Although some areas were not directly affected by the floods, landslides have cut off vital logistics routes. This difficult topography makes evacuation and aid distribution difficult if relying solely on local capacity," said Ari.
Ari emphasized that the government must not get caught up in administrative debates regarding regional or national disaster status. "The central government must immediately intervene and orchestrate cross-stakeholder collaboration. There must be no pause in humanitarian efforts. Victims have already been severely impacted by poor environmental management; they must not lose hope for the future due to coordination barriers," he added.
From a fiscal perspective, local governments' capacity to respond to this disaster is severely limited due to significant budgetary pressures. Economic and Fiscal Policy Researcher The PRAKARSA, Ema Kurnia Aminnisa, expressed her concerns regarding the availability of fiscal space following the central budget efficiency.
"We are facing a policy paradox. On the one hand, disaster risks are increasing drastically due to the climate crisis and ecological damage, but on the other hand, disaster management funding capacity is actually decreasing. The 2025 budget efficiency plan cuts the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) budget by 28%, from a total of 2 trillion rupiah in 2024 to just 1,4 trillion rupiah in 2025. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) also saw a 2% budget cut. Furthermore, the reduction in the Regional Disaster Management Agency (TKD) budget for 2026 raises concerns that regional capacity will weaken in handling such a large-scale disaster independently," Ema explained.
Ema urged the central government to immediately bridge this funding gap to ensure that remote and hard-to-reach areas continue to receive adequate logistical supplies and health assistance through accountable mechanisms. Ema also emphasized that disaster response must not stop at providing logistics and infrastructure repairs, but must also include protecting the livelihoods of vulnerable groups to prevent the emergence of new poverty due to disasters. Responding to this situation, The PRAKARSA urge a rapid response from national and regional governments in disaster management and fundamental changes in the regulatory ecosystem and mindset (mindset) natural resource governance in Indonesia:
- Integrated Collaborative Leadership in Disaster Policy Response
Given the widespread impact across provinces and regional fiscal constraints, the central government needs to take an active role in orchestrating emergency resources and operations. This aims to ensure the speed and effectiveness of logistics distribution to isolated areas without negating the role of local governments.
- Redefinition of State Losses
The government needs to include massive environmental and ecological damage caused by mismanagement and large-scale business expansion without risk mitigation in the definition of state losses, which can be categorized as criminal corruption. Therefore, transparency mechanisms, evidence base (evidence-based) policies, and safeguard clear implementation from the start can be the basis for the precautionary principle and the basis for preparing an early warning system (early warning system).
- Concession Permit Review
Halt and thoroughly audit the establishment of business concessions that recklessly alter the landscape in protected or conservation forest areas. Any economic activity in high-risk areas must have a robust impact mitigation framework and recovery scheme.recovery) which is clear if there is social-ecological loss for residents.
- Developing and Strengthening Adaptive Social Protection Systems
As a country with a high level of disaster vulnerability, the government needs to immediately integrate the social and economic risks of natural disasters into the national social protection system. This strengthening is crucial to minimize losses experienced by the community and accelerate the post-disaster recovery process. "The Sumatran disaster is a stark warning for all of us, and policymakers need to understand this firsthand. Going forward, the precautionary aspect (precautionary principle"(The Indonesian government) must be the commander in chief in land permitting. The state and its citizens must no longer bear the social, ecological, and economic losses resulting from business practices that damage the landscape," concluded Ari Wibowo.