President Prabowo Marks New Year With Disaster Survivors, Urges Environmental Stewardship

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto marked New Year’s Eve with survivors of natural disasters in North Sumatra, calling for stronger environmental stewardship to reduce future risks as the country entered 2026.

Speaking on Wednesday at an evacuation shelter in Batu Hula Village, President Prabowo urged citizens to remain vigilant and to protect Indonesia’s natural resources, stressing that environmental sustainability was essential to national well-being.

“Though we live in an enormous, beautiful, and prosperous country, it is vital for us to remain mindful of nature’s sustainability,” the president said in a video broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat. “We must respect, safeguard, and nurture our environment while avoiding harmful acts.”

President Prabowo arrived at the shelter shortly before midnight to review recovery efforts following devastating floods and landslides that struck three provinces on the island of Sumatra in November 2025. His visit was aimed at demonstrating the government’s solidarity with communities that remain displaced by the disasters.

“We, the government, were elected by the people and work for the people,” the president said. “Therefore, I decided to stay with our brothers and sisters who are currently facing hardships as the year changes.”

In addition to assessing policy and recovery measures, the visit also included humanitarian activities intended to boost morale among evacuees. Mobile units equipped with large screens were deployed to screen animated films for children and residents at the shelter.

President Prabowo reaffirmed that his administration remains committed to sustained disaster response efforts and to addressing the recurring environmental challenges facing the Indonesian archipelago.