A member of a search and rescue team holds parts of the wreckage of a helicopter that crashed, in Temanggung on July 3, 2017. (Photo: STR/AFP Photo)
The budget cut allegedly affected the equipment maintenance in BMKG.
6 Juli 2017 13:00
The head of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Andi Eka Sakya was questioned by House's Commission V after last week's crash of Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency's helicopter in Temanggung, West Java.
Headof Commission V Fary Djemy Francis, questioned whether the budget cuts on BMKG had any impact on equipment maintenance, includingthe absence of early warning sign when a volcanic crater erupted at the Dieng Plateau on Sunday afternoon.
"We're asking the instruments in BMKG. There's a budget cut for it. Did that interfere (with the agency's work)?" said Fary at the House of Representatives building, Central Jakarta, Wednesday.
According to Fary, the budget cut could'veaffected the equipment maintenance in BMKG. He promised to check the fund allocation for several instruments in the agency.
"We honestly want to fully support BMKG for the [equipment] maintenance for [obtaining] accurate and actual data. There was a 40 percent cut, so, is there any attempt for improvementin maintenance for 2018?" asked Fary.
Responding Fary's question, Andi mentioned that they have sought sponsorship for their equipment maintenance. Andy committed to improve the process of instruments maintenance in BMKG.
"Regarding the directions from Commission V, we noted that. For the maintenance, we'll try revise it. We're looking for a support from the external parties for the maintenance," said Andi.
Meanwhile, deputy head of Commission V Muhidin Mohamad Said questioned the absence of the early warning detection system before the Sileri Crater incident. According to him, BMKG should have stood alert about the quake, moreover during the holiday season.
"For Sileri (Crater), there was no early warning? That [the eruption] occured in the holiday season," said Muhidin.
Andi explained that before the disaster, there was no tectonic quake around Sileri Crater. He added that every crater eruption was usually preceded by a volcanic quake.
"So, all of those mountain activities are handled by Geological Agency [Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation]. We only deal with the tectonic one. Besides, the earthquake on the volcanic crater was relatively small," said Andi.
"All the volcano activities are with the Geological Agency. What we've been doing is detecting the early earthquake before the volcanic crater erupt," he concluded.
