Prabowo orders BRIN to develop desalination tech for remote areas

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto has ordered Indonesia’s research agency BRIN to develop domestic desalination technology to turn seawater into drinking water, particularly for remote areas facing water shortages after disasters.

At a disaster-impact coordination meeting in Nagekeo District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, on Wednesday, Prabowo ordered the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and universities to develop desalination technology.

He issued the order after Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo reported clean-water shortages on Palue Island, a remote area affected by an earthquake in neighboring Sikka District.

“I ask BRIN, perhaps together with the Defense University, the military, and engineering faculties, to develop desalination technology that we can build ourselves and quickly send to areas most in need,” Prabowo said.

Prabowo stressed that water is vital for communities and that its availability is especially important during post-disaster recovery on Flores and various nearby islands such as Palue.

“Water is very important. So, besides short-term measures, we must think about medium- and long-term efforts,” Prabowo said.

Advances in technology now allow desalination to be deployed more widely, particularly in coastal areas that need additional clean-water supplies, he said.

“Disasters push us to think more creatively. Thirty years ago, desalination was unaffordable except for wealthy nations. Now we can build desalination systems at the village level,” Prabowo said.

Prabowo said post-disaster recovery should go beyond rebuilding and focus on making affected areas stronger, more productive, and more resilient. He also highlighted plans for solar power plants and fisheries zones in East Nusa Tenggara.

“If necessary, we can build solar plants on unproductive mountains. How many gigawatts can we generate here to power productive economic projects? I am optimistic this region can become a food source for Indonesia and the world,” Prabowo said.