IMF management, employees to donate Rp 2b to Lombok, Palu survivors

NATURAL DISASTER/ EARTHQUAKE - NUSA DUA. The management and employees of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) plan to donate Rp 2 billion (US$131,026) to survivors of the earthquake and the tsunami in Central Sulawesi and to survivors of the earthquake in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, a statement says.

IMF managing director Christine Lagarde was scheduled to deliver the assistance directly to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and a number of NGOs, such as the World Central Kitchen and World Vision, said the statement, which was issued by the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings 2018 organizing committee.

It also referred to other assistance provided by Bank Indonesia and Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut B. Panjaitan.

BI Governor Perry Warjiyo said the central bank's Rp 500 million donation would be used to repair five damaged mosques and two schools in Lombok. He added that BI had also distributed basic needs to survivors of the Lombok earthquake.

“BI has also constructed permanent facilities like houses, prayer rooms, an information center and a counseling center,” he said on Monday in Nusa Dua, Bali, where the IMF-WB meetings are being held.

Meanwhile, Luhut had reportedly made a personal donation of Rp 500 million to the Lombok Disaster Relief Efforts scheme through the East Java branch of Nahdlatul Ulama. He had also provided other forms of assistance, including 241,000 elementary school uniforms.