The Legislation Committee (Baleg) of the Indonesian House agrees to harmonize the Disaster Management Bill proposed by Commission VIII (religious, social, and women's empowerment affairs). The bill is an update to the previous laws dealing with disaster management, which do not provide detailed regulation on the handling of emergency situations such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

"In order to harmonize, integrate, and finalize the Disaster Management Bill, the Legislation Committee has conducted intensive and in-depth deliberation during the Working Committee Meeting," Supratman said after the Legislation Committee Plenary Meeting during which the decision making process on the Disaster Management Bill took place, Senayan, Friday (8/5/2020).

Disaster Management Bill Working Committee has agreed on several technical aspects and substance, including the addition of professional to hold position as Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) playing roles as the leading sector of disaster management. The Head of BNPB can come from Civil Servants, Indonesian National Army, Indonesian Police and professionals who are expert in the field of disaster.

The Gerindra Party politician was also of the opinion that adjustments to the minimum budget for disaster relief allocated in the State Budget (APBN) were needed to be included in the Disaster Management Bill.

He added that State Budget and Regional State Budget allocated for disaster management available for central and regional governments should be increased from 1 to at least 2 percent.

A vice chair of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House, Ace Hasan Syadzily, representing one of the initiators of the bill, expressed his appreciation for the accelerated deliberation of the bill. “I think everyone has a high sense of crisis in the process of management and mitigation of disaster in our country which needs to be handled professionally, systematically dan measurably,” Syadzily said.

At the next stage, Commission VIII and the government will carry out comprehensive and in depth deliberation of the bill. “We have set our target. Along with the government in the next sitting period, we will deliberate the bill and give approval on crucial points to push for better disaster management and mitigation in our country. ” Syadzily expressed. (ann/es)