Indonesia's central government will support several regions' plans to forgo fireworks during New Year celebrations this week in solidarity with victims of recent floods on the island of Sumatra, an official in the president's office said on Monday.
Several governments and police forces, including those in the capital Jakarta and on the popular tourist island of Bali, have said they will not allow firework displays out of respect for the victims on Sumatra, where floods and landslides have killed over 1,100 people, with around 400,000 still displaced.
Prasetyo Hadi, spokesperson for President Prabowo Subianto's office, told reporters that the government believes it is appropriate for regional governments to ban fireworks or urge people not to set them off during celebrations.
"It is correct because we have to show empathy and solidarity ... as a nation, that there are some who suffered from a disaster," he said.
Police in Bali's capital, Denpasar, have banned New Year's fireworks, state news agency Antara reported on Saturday. Jakarta's governor also said last week that there would be no fireworks displays in the city of 10 million people and urged residents not to set any off.
Indonesian authorities have built bridges and housing in areas of Sumatra affected by the floods, including North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh. The recovery is expected to cost at least $3.11 billion.
Several regions on the island remain in a state of emergency, coordinating minister for human development Pratikno said in a press conference on Monday.
More than 20 villages across the three provinces "disappeared" after being swept away by floods, home affairs minister Tito Karnavian said during the same briefing.
Sinking villages along Indonesian coast
Beyond the recent floods, entire villages along the Indonesian coast have been submerged in recent years due to poor urban planning, climate change, and deforestation.
"This area [was] once part of a thriving village with vibrant communities," Silkina Ahluwalia of Pekalongan told the Chinese-run China Global Television Network in an interview last month.
"And now, as you can see, it's all completely gone, all you can hear is the sound of water."
"There are multiple factors at play: geological and man-made, like groundwater extraction for domestic and industrial use," Denia Syam, coastal climate change expert, explained to CGTN.
"Climate change, intense rainfall, and sea-level rise also contribute. This is largely due to development in coastal areas that isn't well-managed. When a load is applied, it accelerates the land's subsidence."