Encouraging a Risk Awareness Paradigm and Hazard Reduction Innovation for Indonesia 2045

Risk is an inseparable part of life and development. However, the awareness of the Indonesian people in understanding and anticipating risks still needs to be strengthened. This is the background behind Tirto.id together with the Indonesian Risk Aware Community (MASINDO) holding a Public Discussion with the theme “Risk Awareness from an Innovation and Development Perspective” which was held at Ashley Wahid Hasyim, Jakarta, on Wednesday (5/11/2025).

This activity is part of the Road to National Risk Awareness Day 2025 series, which will be commemorated on December 15 2025, and is expected to be a momentum to strengthen synergy across sectors in building a risk awareness culture in Indonesia.

In his speech, the Chairman of MASINDO, Dimas Syailendra Ranadireksa, highlighted the urgency of changing people’s mindset from a “what will happen later” attitude to a “what will happen later” attitude – from passive to anticipatory towards risk.

According to Dimas, risk reduction approaches are now an important element in various sectors. We see it in transportation safety, digital security, mitigating the impacts of climate change, to food management and non-communicable diseases.

“In transportation we wear helmets and seat belts, in health we have low-sugar foods to prevent diabetes, and in the digital space we are increasingly aware of data protection. These are all simple examples of risk reduction approaches in everyday life,” he added.

In the context of public health, Dimas explained that similar strategies are also starting to be used in the issue of tobacco product use, in line with efforts to reduce global smoking prevalence.

“For adult smokers who have not been able to quit completely, a harm reduction approach, namely by switching from cigarettes to alternative tobacco products that do not go through the combustion process, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, can be a transition option that is scientifically proven to reduce health risk factors. This does not replace efforts to stop smoking, but is part of a gradual strategy so that health risks can be reduced more realistically,” he explained.

According to Dimas, the discourse on harm reduction needs to continue to be framed in the context of public health and data-based governance, so that policies continue to protect the public while providing space for scientific approaches.

“In the context of collaboration, in the context of risk awareness, how we build regulations must be based on scientific evidence. So health institutions can have different opinions, but put the problem on the table, study it together, invite pentahelix or hexahelix to measure whether this is a risk or not,” said Dimas.

This activity presented panelists from various institutions, namely Prakosa Grahayudiandono, Director of Systems and Risk Management, Bappenas; Dr. Nurma Midayanti, Director of Social Resilience Statistics at the Central Statistics Agency (BPS); and Dimas Syailendra Ranadireksa, Chair of the Indonesian Risk Awareness Society (MASINDO).

In his presentation, Prakosa emphasized the importance of implementing National Development Risk Management (MRPN) as regulated in Presidential Regulation Number 39 of 2023. This approach is expected to make development policies more adaptive to global uncertainty and cross-sector challenges.

“But it could be that with financial conditions, the complexity of society, diversity and all kinds of things, that can then be adjusted in such a way, according to individual needs,” said Prakosa.

The role of statistical data is also a concern in this forum. Dr. Nurma Midayanti highlighted the importance of accurate data-based socio-economic risk mapping to support public policies that are responsive to dynamics in the field.

“Without credible data, it is difficult for the public to understand the direction of development. It is also difficult for the government to legitimize its policies. So for that reason, let’s work together once again to build our own data literacy,” said Dr. Nurma.

Through this activity, Tirto.id and MASINDO hope that the public will increasingly understand that risk awareness is not only about disaster mitigation, but also covers all aspects of life—from economic, health, social, to lifestyle.

“Risks are real, they often arise outside of our control, but we also have to maintain the system. And most importantly, hopefully today’s discussion can produce new parameters in making future policy plans. So the hope is that the policies taken by the government, whether those that are smaller in scope to those that are massive in nature, can also take into account the expected risks,” said the Editor in Chief of Tirto.id, Rachmadin Ismail, in his opening speech.

It is also hoped that this public discussion will encourage sustainable collaboration between the government, business world, academics, civil society and the media – to expand the national risk awareness culture, especially towards the Golden Indonesia Vision 2045.