A viral narrative claiming that Malaysia delivered “large-scale” aid to Indonesia, supposedly faster and more substantially than Indonesia’s own government has sparked heated discussion across social media.
But according to Indonesia’s Home Minister, Tito Karnavian, the public perception does not match the reality.
“It looked big, but the aid was not much”
Speaking in the SLM – Suara Lokal Mengglobal podcast, Tito addressed the misconceptions head-on and said the aid had been misrepresented online.
The assistance was portrayed as if it was very large, when in reality it was not an official government contribution,” he said.
He explained that many assumed Malaysia’s government dispatched major emergency support, but that was never the case.
Aid was from private parties, not Malaysian government
Tito clarified that the assistance actually came from private Malaysian entities acting out of sympathy and personal ties.
The contribution largely consisted of medical supplies worth around RM300,000, far from the “significant” figure some netizens believed.
It is not government-to-government aid. It was provided by private operators,” he emphasised.
Compared to Indonesia’s response, the amount was small
Tito noted that Indonesia had already mobilised large-scale national resources since the first day of the disaster.
This included billions of rupiah in funding, military helicopters, rescue teams, police units and other government agencies deployed to the affected areas.
Because of this, he stressed that the small private donations should not be taken as evidence that Indonesia was depending on outside help.
“The real issue is the perception”
The controversy, Tito said, did not lie in the aid itself but how it was amplified.
“The issue is not the assistance, but the impression that is being formed.”
He cautioned that such narratives can undermine public trust in Indonesia’s disaster management capabilities and make it seem as though the country is unable to handle crises on its own.
Indonesia does not rely on foreign aid, he says
Tito reiterated that Indonesia has strong response mechanisms and had taken comprehensive action long before private donations arrived.
We have strong capabilities and have responded comprehensively. Limited external assistance should not be misinterpreted,” he added.
As discussions continue online, the minister’s clarification aims to correct the misconception and refocus attention on Indonesia’s own extensive efforts in managing the disaster.
