VP Ma'ruf Amin leads meeting on reconstruction in Palu, Lombok

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin led a meeting at the Vice Presidential Offices in Jakarta, Thursday, to deliberate on rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts after the disasters ravaged Central Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara.

The meeting, which began at 2 p.m. local time, comprised attendees: Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Sofyan Djalil, and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono.

Social Minister Juliari Batubara, Deputy Minister of Finance Suahazil Nazara, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, and Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola were also present at the meeting.

"Today, I invite everyone in order to identify challenges on the field since this (rehabilitation and reconstruction) must be handled properly," Vice President Amin noted while opening the meeting.

The efforts to handle rehabilitation and reconstruction following the disaster, especially in Palu and Lombok, became one of the relay tasks carried over from former vice president Jusuf Kalla to VP Amin.

President Joko Widodo, during his visit to Palu in October 29, highlighted the need to soon complete the construction of permanent housing for victims of the earthquake, liquefaction, and tsunami in Central Sulawesi.

The president acknowledged that housing construction is considerably slow since it is hampered by the land acquisition processes. There are also people, living in the red zone, who desist from being relocated.

In addition to housing reconstruction for citizens, the government will repair public facilities, including airports and seaports. The works will immediately be conducted after the auction process is complete, as the budget is already prepared.