Bandar Lampung, December 19, 2025 – Since late November, news of disasters has been pouring in from various regions on the island of Sumatra. In many cities, responses have emerged almost simultaneously. They haven’t waited for each other, nor have they waited for a single command. City governments in various regions have taken action in their own ways, opening posts, mobilizing aid, deploying personnel, and so on, reflecting the humanitarian solidarity that grows from empathy and solidarity.
In this context, the central government, through a Circular Letter from the Minister of Home Affairs to Regional Heads, provided a coordination framework, which was then followed up by APEKSI (Indonesian Association of Associations for the Coordination of Social and Political Parties) through a letter of appeal from APEKSI Chair and Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, to all member mayors. This letter strengthened the alignment of information and aid distribution. Funds from APEKSI’s treasury were also immediately set aside for immediate action. However, on the ground, solidarity movements within cities had already begun, born of the awareness that a disaster in a region is a shared responsibility. With or without publicity, humanitarian action continued.
City Leaders Directly Respond
In affected areas, several regional leaders are not just leading from afar. In Aceh Province, Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, the Mayor of Banda Aceh and Deputy Chairperson of APEKSI for Environment and Climate Change, is constantly on the ground and regularly updates fellow city leaders on the situation. “In Banda Aceh, we can still handle the flooding. But the assistance the Acehnese people need right now is access, electricity, fuel, and heavy equipment. This is especially true for other areas isolated by the disaster,” he said in one of his communications.
Ramlan Nurmatias, the Mayor of Bukittinggi and Deputy Chairperson of APEKSI for Law and Advocacy, also worked in West Sumatra. He personally visited the affected areas and attended to the community. Several other city leaders did the same. The support provided varied, including the deployment of firefighters, heavy equipment, medical personnel, and sanitation workers.
This assistance reached not only nearby cities like Padang Panjang but also Agam Regency and several other neighboring regencies and cities. In Aceh, Illiza even recommended and mobilized aid to Langsa and Lhokseumawe, which were severely affected, while continuing to struggle to ensure the restoration of basic services, including a secure electricity supply, in Banda Aceh City.
In North Sumatra, Medan Mayor Rico Tri Putra Bayu Waas, as Chair of Regional Commission I of APEKSI, faced an equally complex situation. Of the 24 member cities of Regional Commission I, 16 were affected by the disaster. Amidst all the limitations, cross-city coordination continued, focusing on ensuring aid reached the areas most in need without overlap.
City Halls, Volunteers, and the Flow of Public Aid
Outside the affected areas, several city halls transformed into solidarity posts. Residents came to provide aid, communities participated in logistics and packaging, and the city government opened spaces for orderly, targeted public participation. In Surabaya, the City Hall served as a collection point for aid, a meeting point for residents wishing to express their concerns to their brothers and sisters in Sumatra. In collaboration with the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Surabaya City Government sent more than two tons of rice and other aid to Sumatra via cargo in early December. Malang City and Batu City also took a similar role. The city governments opened a fundraising platform with residents, communities, and volunteers, then dispatched logistical support to affected areas in Sumatra starting in early December. The aid was delivered by Hercules aircraft from Air Force Base (LANUD). Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi is the Chair of the APEKSI Board of Directors, while Malang Mayor Wahyu Hidayat is the Chair of APEKSI’s Regional IV Commission.
From Lampung, support spread across provinces. The Bandar Lampung City Government dispatched aid to several affected areas simultaneously, ensuring that logistics reached those in need. “We sent 12 logistics trucks containing mattresses, blankets, appropriate clothing, necessities, children’s necessities, and even new underwear. We also distributed Rp 350 million per province. We mobilized civil servants. Everyone did it happily out of a humanitarian spirit. If everyone worked together, it would be easier,” said Eva Dwiana, Mayor of Bandar Lampung and Deputy Chairperson of APEKSI for Government and Autonomy. From outside Sumatra, Mojokerto City did something similar, raising aid and directly sending it to disaster-affected areas. So it’s no longer about the size of the city or the amount of the donation, but rather about the willingness to be present and share. Mojokerto Mayor, Ika Puspitasari, is the Deputy Chairperson for Public Health.
Collective support also came from nine cities on the island of Kalimantan that are members of Regional Commission V: Pontianak City, Singkawang City, Palangka Raya City, Banjarmasin City, Banjarbaru City, Samarinda City, Balikpapan City, Bontang City, and Tarakan City. The Head of Regional Commission V and Mayor of Pontianak, Edi Rusdi Kamtono, joined other mayors to collect funds and distribute them to affected cities, in coordination with the APEKSI Secretariat.
Support doesn’t always have to be in-kind. Bekasi City, for example, deployed medical personnel to strengthen healthcare services in affected areas. At the same time, Depok City sent PMI volunteers and 100 blood bags to support medical needs on the ground. Many other cities are also taking action in their own ways, with or without publicity. These diverse approaches, from public posts and logistical deliveries to the deployment of healthcare workers, demonstrate that APEKSI member cities are acting within their respective capacities, but with a common goal: helping others in times of need.
“All cities are mobilizing. Some are acting independently, while others are working together through APEKSI. We’re also promoting on social media, saying, ‘Don’t wait, let’s help each other,’ remembering that every minute counts for affected residents. At the secretariat, we’re continuously coordinating with the mayors on site, especially the Board of Directors, and regularly updating the other mayors on the situation and needs of the affected areas,” said Alwis Rustam, APEKSI Executive Director.
Young People Respond
In some cases, the main challenge isn’t just the availability of aid but the region’s isolation. Therefore, APEKSI has distributed five solar-powered satellite internet connections to areas such as Aceh and North Sumatra, particularly in Langsa City. Each time communication access is opened in isolated areas, food and necessities are also provided, ensuring comprehensive support.
Uniquely, this initiative is being widely supported and even implemented in collaboration with young changemakers (Youth City Changers) in various cities within APEKSI Muda. They operate within their own city, but also target nearby regencies with more severe conditions, such as the YCC Binjai and Medan programs in Tamiang Regency.
YCC Jambi also traveled overland to Solok City, coordinating with local youth volunteers. “When we arrived in Solok City, the flood had receded. From the command post at City Hall, we went to one of the affected sub-districts and spoke with residents. We saw rice fields submerged in mud and farmers’ concerns about crop failure,” said the young people who traveled to Solok City. From Solok City, they traveled to Padang City. Collaborating with local youth, they also managed to deliver aid to Batu Busuk on foot. Their numbers may not be significant, but their enthusiasm and the stories they shared with fellow young people further fostered a sense of concern for the city and for humanity.
Meanwhile, at the APEKSI Secretariat, young interns from APEKSInternship are always ready to monitor and update information on affected areas and other essential records related to disaster response.
For APEKSI, this series of responses is not simply a record of emergency activities, but rather a reflection of the mutually supportive practices of city governments. In a disaster situation, the most important thing is not who stands out, but how cities come together, maintain openness, and ensure that no region feels alone. This awareness was integral to what was reflected by the 98 APEKSI Member Cities at the APEKSI Outlook in Bandar Lampung on December 20, 2025.