"I have written to the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) to send US$1 million in funds to Queensland," Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono said here on Sunday.
It was President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who instructed the sending of the relief aid for the Queensland flood victims, Agung said.
"The President has ordered (the sending of relief aid). And I have written to the BNPB to send the aid in the near future," he said.
Australia had previously given a lot of donations to Indonesia in the aftermath of natural disasters such as tsunami and earthquakes.
Last Wednesday, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa phoned his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd to tell him about the Indonesian government`s relief aid.
"So far, the Australian government has very often assisted Indonesia particularly at the time of disasters. The Australian relief aid for the Wasior and Mentawai disasters alone reached seven million Australian dollars," Agung said.
Therefore, the Indonesian government hoped the aid could help alleviate the financial burden of Queensland victims, he said.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
