Sumatran Disaster Management, LBH Medan Suspects that Prabowo is Playing Political Acts

AXIALNEWS.id | The Medan Legal Aid Institute (LBH) expressed its deep concern over the condition of handling the devastating flood and landslide disasters that hit the Sumatra region, especially the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, since November 25 2025.

The Sumatran disaster should not only be a natural disaster but an ecological disaster that caused thousands of casualties and massive environmental damage, but also exposed serious facts about the weakness of the state’s disaster management.

This was even made worse by the lack of synchronization and inconsistency in the statements and attitudes of the highest public officials, namely the President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto, including several of his ministers.

LBH Medan assesses that the head of state’s statement is not just political communication, but rather a policy instrument that has a direct impact on the direction, speed and quality of disaster management.

Therefore, every statement the President makes should reflect caution, consistency and wisdom in favor of the safety and recovery of victims. However, in the context of the Sumatra disaster, the opposite situation occurred.

On December 15 2025 in Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto openly stated that Indonesia does not need and does not accept foreign assistance in handling disasters. This statement was conveyed by emphasizing that Indonesia was able to overcome this and rejected offers of help from other heads of state.

This attitude then became a reference for policies that limited the entry of international support, both in the form of logistics, technical expertise and other humanitarian assistance.

However, only some time later, on January 1 2026 in Aceh Tamiang, the President made a different statement and was not in line with his previous position. In that statement, the President said that the issue of aid was humanitarian issues and that “if anyone wants to help, we can’t refuse. We would be stupid if we refused.

This statement substantively contradicts the previous stance of rejecting foreign assistance and emphasizes the country’s ability to handle disasters independently.

LBH Medan suspects that President Prabowo Subianto is suffering from Dementia (decreased brain function) and is carrying out a political play.

LBH Medan considers this unsynchronized statement to be a form of indiscretion in the speech and behavior of a head of state. This inconsistency is not just a matter of rhetoric, but has a real impact on coordination across ministries, institutions, regional governments, as well as the trust of the public and the international community in supporting disaster management efforts.

This condition is even more worrying when compared with the facts on the ground. Until the 40th day after the disaster, the recovery process was not optimal. Many victims still experience a lack of basic needs such as food, clean water, health services and adequate housing.

Public infrastructure, including roads, bridges, health facilities, and educational facilities, suffered extensive damage and has not been fully restored. This situation is also exacerbated by the limited capacity of local governments, which have even openly stated their inability to handle the impacts of disasters independently.

Based on the latest data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) as of December 20 2025, the flood and landslide disaster has caused at least 1,177 people to die, 148 people are still missing, around 7,000 people were injured, and 147,236 housing units were seriously damaged or submerged in mud.

Apart from that, serious damage also occurred to various public infrastructure which is the main support for people’s lives.

The terrible figures and impacts of the disaster confirm that the Sumatra disaster (Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra) is a National Disaster. This is also in accordance with the regulations stipulated in Article 7 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 51 paragraph (2) of Law Number 24 of 2007 concerning Disaster Management.

Therefore, President Prabowo must designate the Sumatra Disaster as a National Disaster Emergency.

However, until now, the President of the Republic of Indonesia has not declared the disaster in Sumatra a National Disaster. This attitude, coupled with the initial rejection of foreign aid, has caused deep disappointment and big question marks among society, especially affected residents who are still struggling to survive in limited conditions.

LBH Medan views that the inconsistencies in the President’s statements also have the potential to violate the basic principles of good governance (good government), especially the principles of legal certainty, openness and accountability. And leads to crimes against humanity.

In a disaster situation, certainty in policy direction is the key so that all stakeholders can move in an integrated and effective manner. When the President’s statements change and are out of sync, what happens is structural confusion at the implementing level and delays in handling in the field.

Furthermore, LBH Medan expressed serious concerns regarding the condition of national leadership in the midst of this crucial situation. President Prabowo Subianto is in old age, which is medically known as a phase of life with a certain vulnerability to decreased cognitive function (Dementia).

LBH Medan assesses that the repeated inconsistency of statements and attitudes on an issue as important as disaster management should be a serious alarm for the public and other state institutions. LBH Medan emphasized that disaster management is not a place for political ego, image, or false pride in claims of state independence.

Disaster management is the state’s constitutional obligation to protect the entire nation and all of Indonesia’s bloodshed. In a humanitarian emergency, opening up space for international assistance is not a form of weakness, but rather a manifestation of the state’s responsibility to ensure that the rights to life, health and welfare of citizens are fulfilled to the maximum.

On this basis, LBH Medan urges:

1. President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto Declares National Disaster Emergency Status for Flood and Landslide Disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra;
2. To immediately state firmly and consistently the state’s position regarding the receipt of aid, by prioritizing the interests of disaster victims above any political considerations;
3. Central government to ensure the fulfillment of victims’ basic needs and accelerate infrastructure recovery in a transparent, accountable and fair manner;
4. DPR RI and other state supervisory institutions to carry out active monitoring functions on the President’s policies and statements which have a direct impact on the safety and rights of citizens.

LBH Medan emphasized that the country must not be ignorant, doubtful, let alone wishy-washy in facing a humanitarian disaster of this magnitude. Any inconsistency in policies and statements not only violates the principles of good governance, but also has the potential to prolong the suffering of victims.

In emergency situations, wisdom, consistency and alignment with humanity are the main measures of the legitimacy of national leadership which prioritizes community safety as the highest law (Let public health be the supreme law).

Pres Release from LBH Medan, 05 January 2026.