Indonesiantalk.com — Ignored Crisis: Lack of Disaster Vision in Indonesia’s Presidential Campaigns
In the midst of Indonesia’s abundant natural resources lies a nation prone to various natural disasters. Yet, the forthcoming presidential candidates for the term 2024-2029 have conspicuously overlooked the crucial issue of disaster management.
The absence of a coherent disaster management vision was starkly evident during the recent presidential debates where all three contenders failed to address the pressing issue.
The concept of risk assessment dictates that the severity of a disaster doesn’t solely hinge on its magnitude but also on the vulnerability of the affected communities. This is epitomized by the World Risk Index, which factors in a nation’s exposure and vulnerability to disasters.
Every phase of disaster management, from early warning systems to emergency response, necessitates digitalization for optimal efficacy. However, Indonesia, alongside the Philippines and India, exhibits significant vulnerability and exposure to disasters.
The importance of disaster prevention and mitigation cannot be overstated. Heightened awareness and proactive measures are imperative.
National resilience transcends military doctrine; it encompasses the ability to adapt and recover post-disaster. Yet, in this interim period before the presidential elections, it’s disconcerting to note the negligible emphasis on disaster preparedness in the platforms of all three presidential candidates.
Disasters should be integral to sustainable development agendas. The candidates have a unique opportunity to utilize disaster management as a campaign platform to enhance public awareness regarding disaster preparedness.
Indonesia, nestled within the Pacific Ring of Fire, faces heightened risks from various natural calamities. However, public awareness of these threats remains alarmingly low.
Addressing this requires concerted efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society. Several nations have successfully implemented disaster insurance schemes through public-private partnerships.
In Indonesia, efforts towards mandatory disaster insurance programs have been initiated but require further support and concrete steps.
Political years present pivotal moments to bolster disaster awareness across all strata of society. A paradigm shift is imperative to prioritize disaster management as an integral part of national development.
Therefore, while the presidential candidates vie to realize their respective visions, disaster management should not be a burden but rather a cornerstone towards a safer, fairer, and more prosperous Indonesia for all.
In essence, the three presidential pairs can mutually support each other by elevating the theme of enhancing public awareness of disasters. They can spotlight disaster management as a fundamental aspect of their vision and mission.
Disaster management should serve as a campaign platform to enhance public awareness, which has been sorely lacking. Indonesia, according to the World Bank, ranks 12th out of 35 countries worldwide in terms of high risk of casualties and economic losses due to various disasters.
Almost the entire Indonesian territory is exposed to risks from over 10 types of natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, fires, extreme weather, storm surges, droughts, and liquefaction.
Several natural disasters, such as the Aceh and North Sumatra earthquakes and tsunamis in 2004, the series of three major disasters in 2018 (Lombok earthquakes, Palu and Donggala earthquakes and tsunamis, and the Sunda Strait tsunami), and the recurring floods in the capital, provide clear evidence of the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
In 2020, Indonesia also proved vulnerable to epidemic disasters. Like other countries, Indonesia had to deal with the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which severely impacted economic growth. The losses from disasters, whether routine events with small impacts or rare events that cripple affected regions’ economies, greatly affect the state budget’s resilience.
For example, the Aceh 2004 earthquake and tsunami caused damage and economic losses amounting to Rp 51.4 trillion. Meanwhile, the state budget’s ability to allocate funds for disaster risk mitigation is only around Rp 3 trillion to Rp 10 trillion annually.
In addition to these natural disasters, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic also resulted in significant losses, both economically, in terms of health, and socially for Indonesia. Covid-19 was also categorized as a national disaster. Data as of July 18, 2023, shows a total of 161,880 deaths due to Covid-19 in Indonesia.
Considering the magnitude of these disasters’ impacts, presidential pairs need to provide solutions to ensure that disaster financing can be adequately provided to protect the state’s finances, government assets, and the community without burdening the state budget. Indonesia’s position in the Ring of Fire Indonesia is situated within an area known as the Ring of Fire.
The Pacific Ocean region, where 90 percent of the world’s most active volcanoes are located, and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes originate. Indonesia is even referred to as a “disaster supermarket” due to the diversity of potential natural disasters it faces.
Indonesia is located between three tectonic plates: the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Pacific plates, which lie within the “Asia Pacific Ring of Fire” with the most active 127 volcanoes in the world and three largest archipelagic states in the world with 13,466 islands.
Indonesia was the world’s second most disaster-prone country in 2022. According to the 2023 World Risk Report, Indonesia scored 43.5 points on the Global Risk Index (GRI) in 2022.
This score places Indonesia in the second-highest position globally. Approximately 100 million Indonesians are at risk of natural disasters. Most of the population is unaware of disaster threats and unprepared to face them.
- alumni of the ITB Oceanography Department – Auckland University: Disaster Management
