TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo has instructed government ministries to dispatch humanitarian aid to Turkey to help the victims of the 7.8-magnitude quake that rattled Turkey and Syria on Monday (February 6, 2023).

"The assistance is currently being prepared by the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, as well as the Social Affairs Ministry. It is being prepared and will be dispatched as soon as possible," the President informed at a press conference held at Merdeka Palace on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday morning, officials were still deciding on the appropriate aircraft to transport the emergency aid, he said.

Separately, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin highlighted the need to dispatch humanitarian aid to Turkey as soon as possible to reciprocate its support for Indonesia during major natural disasters in the past.

"Turkey was among the first to assist us during the (December 26, 2004) tsunami in Aceh, and we had also discussed with the President and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto to send a humanitarian mission (to Turkey)," Amin said after visiting the Java Integrated and Industrial Port Estate in Gresik, East Java, on Tuesday.

Dispatching humanitarian aid is part of Indonesia's responsibility to the global community as countries in the world are expected to support each other when a disaster strikes, he explained.

"The world, indeed, should support each other; this has been our human tradition. I also hope Baznas (National Alms Agency) can also partake in the duty," the Vice President said.

Moreover, Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, said that the first batch of humanitarian aid, in the form of a freight container full of foods, is en route from Ankara to Gaziantep, which was among the most-affected cities in the quake.

"Now, I and the embassy team is moving to Gaziantep to distribute the humanitarian aid, in the form of a freight container full of foods from the Indonesian government, for the Turkish Red Crescent," Iqbal informed at a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

His side has also distributed portable gas stoves and gas tanks, as well as 300 blankets for Indonesian nationals who have decided to remain in the affected cities.

According to the embassy’s records, 10 Indonesian nationals were injured in Monday’s quake, he informed. Four of them received medical care at local hospitals and 6 will be evacuated to Ankara, he added.

The embassy has also evacuated 104 Indonesian nationals from earthquake-affected regions to Ankara.

ANTARA

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