Prof. Boediono Released 50 KKN PPM PB Students to Padang

Vice President-elect Prof. Dr. Boediono released 50 students of the Student Community Service  for Disaster Relief project (KKN PPM PB) who will be deployed to West Sumatera, Sunday (11/10) at the Bravo Media Center, Jalan Teuku Umar, Menteng, Jakarta. To mark the event, Prof. Boediono put a hat on the head of one student and witnessed by Minister for Education, Prof. Dr. Bambang Sudibyo, M.B.A., and Minister for Public Works Dr.(H). Ir. Djoko Kirmanto, and the Head of the Institute for Research and Community Services (LPPM), Prof. Ir. Danang Parikesit, M.Sc.

Prof. Boediono expressed his pride that UGM had taken an innitiative in deploying students to help ease the burden of the people in West Sumatera. “I am proud that my almamater joined forces with others in Padang and paid attention to our brothers there. I wish that you can best use your time to contribute to the people there,” he said.

He said that whilst on the location, students can give the best to meet what most required by the people of Padang. “To integrate, to define clearly what is required to meet the people’s needs,” said Boediono.

Previously, teams from UGM and the Province of Yogyakarta Special Region have helped repair water distribution system in Padang. In the future, specific projects need to be defined and worked on, for instance, the repair of irrigation system and roads. According to Boediono, KKN projects can help train students to become potential, experienced leaders. Therefore, solid organisational cooperation is required. “What stands out of UGM is its KKN programme. Consider this as an exercise of command troops, where a leader will be born naturally. Decide the mission, plan it well, and monitor it,” he said.

Boediono mentioned that the next government would respond more to preventive measures against disasters. He considered the current programmes well enough, but more efforts are still necessary to prepare against quakes and floods. “It is good already. Better anticipatory plans against disasters, buildings that can stand quakes, suitable logistics, while for house construction, certain brands should be used,” he said.

He agreed that there should be a spatial planning to increase anticipatory capacities against disasters. “Our country is situated on a vulnerable area. We cannot reduce the intensity of earthquakes, and it is even more difficult to predict when they happen,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Head of the LPPM UGM, Prof. Ir. Danang Parikesit, M.Sc., said that the student deployment was part of the Disaster Early Response Unit (DERU) of UGM to make various emergency responses and post-disaster reconstruction work. “To give an input to the reconstruction and rehabilitation work in order that the local government can implement it effectively for a short period of time. West Sumatera’s social capital is the main capital for this recovery work,” he explained.

Danang added that until now UGM has deployed 30 experts to Padang to assist the emergency responses. A day after the quake, UGM sent 20 medical experts to help the survivors. “Until now, more than 30 experts have been assisting the government, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the community,” he ended.