As another country located on the Ring of Fire, Indonesia should be vigilant. According to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Indonesia is one of the 35 most disaster-prone countries in the world.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Kompas/Emanuel Edi Saputra
PPresident Joko Widodo reviewed a number of infrastructure development projects in Entikong, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan.
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano off the coast of Tonga on Saturday (15/1/2022) offers a lesson about the vulnerability of infrastructure.
The hardest hit infrastructure in Tonga was telecommunications. In the contemporary era, telecommunications networks are increasingly becoming the backbone of various activities. Tonga was in “total darkness” for several days. Aid arrived late due to uncertainty over the conditions in Tonga.
As another country located on the Ring of Fire, Indonesia should be vigilant. According to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Indonesia is one of the 35 most disaster-prone countries in the world.
The lyrics of a song of the past say, “The land of Indonesia is the land of heaven”. Sticks and stones (can) grow plants. On the other hand, development across every inch of land in the country has the potential to be affected by disasters, ranging from earthquakes, to volcanic eruptions and to floods.
President Jokowi's was correct when he opened the Coordination Meeting of the National Disaster Management Agency online on Wednesday (23/2/2022) with the statement, “Infrastructure development must reduce disasters, not increase disasters. We often build, but forget this.”
AGUS SUSANTO
An overpass construction project over the Soekarno Hatta Airport Highway, Tangerang, Banten, Sunday (11/29/2020).
Awareness that we are developing a disaster-prone area must begin during the planning stage to scouting a location, and through to the designing stage. This process occurs long before the start of construction. This is mainly because ideally, the completed infrastructure should function for tens, if not hundreds, of years.
The massive infrastructure development is even financed with funds that reach up to tens of trillions of rupiah. If there is damage or destruction due to disaster, rebuilding will require the budget allocation to be shifted from not only the infrastructure sector, but also from other sectors. Remember, infrastructure is built with public money. If it is built using debt financing with a long tenor, it will burden our children and grandchildren. Don't let a single rupiah of the people's money go to waste.
It would be unfortunate if we have to evacuate people, but the local airport has been swept away by a tsunami.
Dams, airports, seaports and roads are infrastructure built so the citizens can prosper. However, infrastructure such as roads, seaports, airports and telecommunications are also an avenue for saving this country in the event of a disaster. It would be unfortunate if we have to evacuate people, but the local airport has been swept away by a tsunami.
Is it difficult to build disaster-resilient infrastructure? We believe it is not. Indonesia has many disaster experts. Many regions possess local wisdom that has saved the area for hundreds of years from greater destruction from disasters that could hit at any time.
The key to building disaster-resilient infrastructure is to first listen to input from all parties. This effort can help prepare infrastructure that will survive and function as long as possible for the welfare of the people. Infrastructure development should not be seen as a mere project.
