President Prabowo appoints Lt. Gen. Kristomei Sianturi to lead Indonesia's disaster agency

President Prabowo Subianto swore in Army Lieutenant General Kristomei Sianturi as the new chief of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) at the State Palace, succeeding Lieutenant General Suharyanto under Presidential Decree No. 113/P of 2026. Sianturi, born in Kotabumi, North Lampung, graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1997 and has held a series of command and staff positions, including leading the 305th Airborne Infantry Battalion and serving as head of the Army Information Service.

He also participated in a UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, earning both UN and Lebanese medals. BNPB is responsible for disaster preparedness, emergency response and recovery across the archipelago, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and faces frequent earthquakes, volcanoes and floods. Observers note that Sianturi’s experience in military public information may influence the agency’s communication strategy during crises. His tenure will be watched for how it balances military leadership with civilian disaster management needs.