Jakarta, Dec. 5 -- The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) has ensured that Starlink satellite communication services deployed to flood-affected areas in Sumatra are available free of charge to the public.

The clarification was delivered by Head of Information at the Army Information Center, Lt. Col. (Arm) Sayed Syahrial, when met at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta on Friday, responding to circulating reports alleging illegal fees being charged to flood victims.

"The data packages have been made free by Starlink itself until the end of December," he said.

Syahrial's statement also clarified earlier remarks by Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) Gen. Maruli Simanjuntak, who had said that the Army did not yet know who was covering the cost of t...