Jakarta, Jan. 27 -- Deputy Minister for Transmigration Viva Yoga Mauladi has underscored the strategic role of the Patriot Expedition Team in supporting emergency response efforts following floods and landslides that hit several areas in Sumatra in late 2025.

Speaking at a meeting with The House of Representatives Commission V in Jakarta on Tuesday, he said the team effectively served as an extension of the ministry, ensuring that field data and the needs of transmigrant communities remained monitored despite limited access to affected areas.

"We regard the presence of the Patriot Expedition Team as a blessing in disguise. At a time when evacuation from disaster sites should have been prioritized, the team instead became an extension of...