RETURN TO NORMALCY THROUGH COMBINED EFFORTS

Life in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh is starting to return to how it was before the tsunami hit on 26 Dec last year. Roads are being cleared, communications are starting up, shops and stalls are reopening, and the people are beginning to resume their way of life.

"Even though the earthquake measured 9.0 on the Richter scale, it hasn't battered the resolve of Indonesians," said Singapore's Minister of State for Defence and National Development, Mr Cedric Foo, during his visit to both towns on 13 Jan.

"The speed with which the Indonesian government responded and picked themselves up is a testimony to the human spirit."

Mr Foo was accompanied by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Zainal Abidin Rasheed, and a delegation of Members of Parliament from the Government Parliamentary Committees for Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as Health.

The Singapore delegation was joined by their counterparts from the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), who were led by Dr Sidharto Danusubroto.

"We can see that the role of the Singapore Army Medical Team, Technician Team, helps us build close relations, close cooperation with the TNI," said Dr Sidharto.

"I appreciate very much that cooperation, and hope that makes our relationship with Singapore stronger. I'm very appreciative of this great assistance."

During their tour of Meulaboh, the group visited SAF medical facilities and the TNI barracks at POSKO.

Mr Foo said from conversations with people over the past two weeks, it seems the "situation has improved considerably", with TNI playing a big part in this gradual return to normalcy.

"Many of the TNI commanders I met today have also suffered the loss of many of their loved ones. Yet they stood here, they stayed behind. I think their sterling efforts cannot be over-emphasised," said Mr Foo.

"This stabilisation, this system of distribution and so forth, is also largely the work of the TNI putting together a system to distribute the aid materials to Meulaboh and beyond."

He expressed his condolences to the people of Indonesia and said that the Singapore government looked upon the disaster as its own crisis, and thus, promptly deployed humanitarian aid once the news broke.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Humanitarian Assistance Task Force (HATF) spearheaded efforts in Meulaboh, and the mission to restore the basic infrastructure is largely accomplished.

The SAF has helped to construct beach-landing points and helicopter-landing pads to enable aid, food and water to reach the local residents.

The TNI has also repaired a bridge linking the West Sumatra coastal town to Medan.

"I was talking to Pak Alwi (Shihab, Indonesian Coodinating Minister for Social Welfare) and President Bambang Yudhoyono, and we are glad that the acute emergency phase is nearing the end," Mr Foo continued.

"We're moving on to the next phase, which is recovery. And under this phase, the TNI will work to resettle the people who have been displaced. On our part, we want to make sure that we can contribute in a meaningful way."

"We're looking to build a pontoon pier, doing the physical structures that would add another sea link between Banda Aceh and Medan. Also, we are likely to construct a regional relief centre after talking to the TNI."

After viewing the modular building SAF engineers are constructing at the TNI barracks at POSKO, parliamentarians from both countries also symbolically handed over relief aid to the TNI garrison officer in Meulaboh, Kol Geerhan.