January 2, 2026 | 08:15 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto corrected Chief of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lieutenant General Suharyanto for using the term "tired money" to describe compensation for TNI soldiers in disaster zones. He believes the term, which implies fatigue, is not suitable for soldiers.
Prabowo prefers to call the incentive "spirit money." The President shared this view during a meeting on disaster management in Aceh Tamiang, Aceh, on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
Suharyanto had reported to Prabowo that soldiers handling disasters receive meal allowances and "tired money." "The soldiers in the field receive meal allowances and 'tired money,' Sir, pocket money. It's Rp 165,000 per person," Suharyanto said in the meeting, as shown by the Presidential Secretariat.
Prabowo immediately corrected the statement. "Soldiers should not receive 'tired money' because soldiers should not get tired," Prabowo said. Suharyanto then corrected himself. "Pocket money, Pak, understood," he replied.
Prabowo then insisted that the incentive for TNI soldiers be called "spirit money." He stated that soldiers must not feel exhaustion. "Spirit money. [Soldiers] know no fatigue," said the retired general. Suharyanto responded, "Understood, knows no fatigue, understood."
Prabowo stated that soldiers exist to serve the nation and the state. In their line of duty, he said, soldiers should never feel tired. Prabowo then ended his interruption and asked Suharyanto to finish the presentation on disaster handling.
Earlier, Army Chief General Maruli Simanjuntak stated that soldiers at Sumatra disaster sites only receive basic supplies. "BNPB only supports meals, Pak. There are no purchases of goods or deliveries, none at all," Maruli said during a meeting on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. He was speaking to Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa.
Purbaya responded to Maruli's statement by asking, "Didn't you ask?" Maruli replied, "Oh, I've asked everyone, no one gave," which caused laughter among the meeting participants.
Purbaya continued the budget talk and joked that BNPB was being stingy. "There is still one day left. If you can get the letter today or tomorrow, I will disburse the funds immediately after I receive it from BNPB," Purbaya said.
By Wednesday afternoon, December 31, 2025, BNPB reported 1,154 deaths from floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Aceh recorded the highest death toll with 527 people, while North Sumatra had 365 and West Sumatra had 262.
BNPB also noted that the number of missing persons in West Sumatra increased by two. The total number of missing people now stands at 165. "There are 31 missing in Aceh, 60 in North Sumatra, and 74 in West Sumatra," said Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Data Center, during a press conference on Wednesday.
Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the report
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