Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is not accepting foreign aid for now as it remains confident that it can deal with the aftermath of the catastrophic Sumatra floods on its own.

Many foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, have expressed condolences on the Sumatra floods and landslides that killed hundreds of people. Foreign Minister Sugiono said Friday that some countries were willing to lend a hand, but Jakarta had decided to turn down the offer. He did not disclose the names of the countries that offered help.

"We have thanked [these countries] for their compassion, but we believe we can take care of it [the Sumatra floods] on our own.... They have told us to reach out to them if we need anything," the chief diplomat told the press in Jakarta.

Sugiono said that Indonesia would only allow foreign aid "after the country feels the need for one". He went on to say that all parties, including government agencies, in Indonesia are working together. "This joint effort shows that we can take care of this," he stated.

Despite Indonesia's resistance, a sizable medical aid weighing 2 tons from the close neighbor Malaysia had arrived in Aceh on Nov. 29. Gomez Medical Services had partnered with Blue Sky Rescue Malaysia to deliver the aid. This was the first international medical aid that entered Aceh following the cyclone-induced disaster.

Local disaster authorities reported that the death toll had hit at least 867 people across three provinces on Sumatra island: Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra as of Friday at 6.55 p.m. About 521 people remain missing. The disaster, which is among the deadliest in Sumatra, has injured 4,200 people. The floods and landslides have damaged or destroyed 121,000 houses. Indonesia has yet to declare the deadly floods a national emergency – a status that can speed up coordination.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/sumatra-floods-indonesia-says-no-to-foreign-aid-for-no