Medan, December 20, 2025 – The Europe Today: North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution announced on Saturday that 30 tons of rice donated by a humanitarian organization from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be distributed to flood-affected communities in the province through Indonesia’s Islamic organization Muhammadiyah.
“This is not government-to-government assistance. The aid comes from a non-governmental organization,” Governor Nasution clarified. He added that because the assistance did not originate from a foreign government, the Medan city administration entrusted its distribution to Muhammadiyah, citing the organization’s extensive grassroots network and long-standing experience in humanitarian and disaster-response operations.
Addressing earlier public confusion regarding the aid’s status, Nasution confirmed, “It will not be sent back. Because this assistance is from an NGO, it is being handed over to an Indonesian NGO, namely Muhammadiyah, which will distribute it directly to affected residents.”
Muhammadiyah Chairman Haedar Nashir welcomed the trust placed in his organization by the North Sumatra provincial government and UAE humanitarian partners. He emphasized that Muhammadiyah is committed to assisting communities affected by disasters across Indonesia, irrespective of whether an emergency has been officially declared.
“In our humanitarian work, we do not prioritize the status of a disaster. When people need help, that is when Muhammadiyah steps in,” Nashir said. He added that the organization’s guiding principle in disaster response is to act quickly and effectively rather than focusing on publicity. “Our approach is to talk less and do more. We prioritize concrete, fast, and targeted action,” he said.
Nashir further noted that the rice aid will be distributed immediately to communities most in need as part of Muhammadiyah’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian service.
Earlier, on Friday, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian clarified that the 30 tons of rice received by the Medan city government was not official assistance from the UAE government, but rather provided by the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent, a humanitarian organization. He explained that city officials initially believed the donation came directly from the UAE government, which caused procedural delays. Once confirmed as NGO assistance, the city administration proceeded with its distribution through humanitarian partners.
