Jakarta. South Aceh Regent Mirwan may be dismissed from office after traveling for Umrah while his district was under a state of emergency due to devastating floods and landslides, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto said on Monday.

Bima said that although regents are elected officials, Indonesia’s 2014 Regional Government Law authorizes the central government to sanction local leaders who commit serious violations, including abandoning their duty during an emergency.

“The sanctions are regulated, ranging from warnings and temporary suspension to a recommendation for permanent removal if the violation is deemed severe,” he said in Jakarta.

He said Mirwan’s decision to leave the country during a crisis constitutes a “serious error,” noting that the regent plays a central command role coordinating the military, police, and civilian agencies in emergency response.

“A regent is not merely an administrative figure. They are the command leader in a crisis. Their presence determines the effectiveness of emergency decisions,” Bima stressed.

Mirwan departed for Saudi Arabia on December 2, shortly after publicly declaring that his administration was unable to handle the disaster in South Aceh without central government assistance. The floods and landslides, which began on November 25 across Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra, have killed more than 900 people and destroyed major infrastructure, electricity networks, and telecommunications systems.

Recovery efforts are now underway, including the installation of temporary bridges and restoration of power and communications with support from state-owned enterprises and the central government.

Over the weekend, President Prabowo Subianto visited the disaster zone and chaired a cabinet meeting in Aceh. Without naming Mirwan, he compared the absent regent to a soldier deserting the battlefield.

“If a regional leader runs away, remove them,” the President said. “A leader who abandons their duty during disaster is like a deserter.”

Mirwan has already been removed as chairman of the Gerindra Party’s South Aceh branch ahead of his return to Indonesia on Sunday. Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf also confirmed he never granted permission for Mirwan to travel, especially abroad, during the ongoing emergency.

A senior official in the South Aceh administration, Diva Samudra Putra, attempted to defend the regent, claiming Mirwan only left after the situation was “under control” and that he had personally delivered aid before departing.

However, these claims contrast with on-the-ground conditions, where many residents remain in temporary shelters and key utilities are still disrupted. Mirwan had also publicly admitted his administration was overwhelmed before leaving for Umrah.