Governance of emergency powers and accountability in Indonesian disaster management

This paper argues that disaster management governance in Indonesia must align with emergency principles. In emergencies, special laws apply to prevent budget misuse and abuse of power. This study analyzes emergency authority in Indonesia's checks and balances system, focusing on legislative oversight. Using a legal-normative approach, it reviews Law No. 24/2007 on Disaster Management and the principles of necessity, proportionality, and temporality. The main findings are: (1) national and regional legislatures have little role in extending or ending emergency status, which allows unchecked use of emergency powers; oversight of emergency actions is weak; and (3) there are no clear time limits for emergencies, enabling excessive extensions. The study recommends reforming laws to: (a) increase the legislature’s role in emergency status decisions; (b) clarify oversight and budgeting authority; and (c) set deadlines and rules for extending emergencies to improve accountability.