Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto said the presence of central government agencies in responding to the Sumatra disaster is widely seen by the public as a direct reflection of his leadership, adding that any shortcomings in disaster management ultimately fall under his responsibility.
"When elements of the central government are present, people see it as Prabowo's involvement. I think that perception is understandable," Prabowo said during a plenary cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, December 15, 2025.
"And if the response is not handled properly, the president is held responsible. That is the risk of leadership."
His remarks followed the screening of a video ahead of the meeting that documented the reconstruction of four damaged bridges: the Bailey Bridge in Aceh, the Anggoli Bridge in North Sumatra, and the Bawah Kubang and Sikabau bridges in West Sumatra. All four bridges were destroyed by the recent disaster.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said bridge installation typically takes around one month. However, with the support of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police, and local residents, the construction was completed within a week.
The video showed residents expressing gratitude to Prabowo for the rapid rebuilding efforts. The president responded by emphasizing that the credit should go to officials and personnel working on the ground.
"The video earlier showed many people thanking me. In reality, it was not my work alone. It was the work of those in the field. They worked for weeks and risked their lives," Prabowo said.
Prabowo said he understood why the public associates the presence of the central government with the president himself. However, he reiterated that failures in disaster response are his responsibility.
"That is the risk for a leader," he said.
The head of state also thanked both central and regional government officials for their efforts in managing the disaster. He added a pointed remark about one regional leader, whom he said was absent during a critical period, without naming the official.
"Except for one district head who may not have shown loyalty during critical times by leaving the area for various reasons. But I see the people remain resilient and steadfast," Prabowo said.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the death toll from the Sumatra disaster had reached 1,016 as of Sunday, December 14, 2025, up from 1,006 the previous day.
BNPB Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center head Abdul Muhari said the fatalities included 424 in Aceh, 349 in North Sumatra, and 243 in West Sumatra. Over the past week, 66 additional bodies were recovered, including 33 in Aceh, 19 in North Sumatra, and 14 in West Sumatra.
The number of missing persons stood at 212 as of Sunday, down from 217 a day earlier and a decrease of 58 over the past week.
Abdul added that the number of displaced residents has continued to decline. As of Sunday, there were 624,670 evacuees, down from 654,542 on Saturday. Compared with figures from December 7-8, the number of evacuees has fallen by 356,297.