December 5, 2025 | 06:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Army confirmed that the Starlink satellite communication service, provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is being offered free of charge to flood-hit areas in Sumatra. The service will remain free through the end of December.
The statement comes amid rumors suggesting alleged extortion against flood victims seeking to use the system.
“The Starlink credit has been fully covered by the provider itself until the end of December,” said Lt. Col. (Arm) Sayed Syahrial, Head of the Army’s Information Division, during a briefing at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase, East Jakarta, on Friday, December 5, 2025, as reported by Antara.
Sayed clarified remarks made earlier by Army Chief of Staff General Maruli Simanjuntak, who had said the Army did not know who was paying for the Starlink credit.
“The Chief of Staff meant that because the service is already free,” Sayed explained.
The Indonesian Army has been tasked with delivering the Starlink units to areas cut off by floods, particularly remote locations, so that residents and relief teams can maintain communication.
The satellite service is also expected to help army personnel and other agencies coordinate disaster response and speed up recovery efforts.
“If there are complaints about the cost of using Starlink, these should not be directed at the Army. The service is free until the end of December,” Sayed added.
Earlier, General Maruli had confirmed that the Indonesian Army and the Ministry of Defense deployed Starlink equipment to Sumatra’s flood zones.
“The equipment belongs to the Ministry of Defense and the Army. The issue of who pays for the credit is irrelevant, as it is currently provided free,” he said.
Read: Power Supply in North Sumatra and Aceh Expected to Normalize by Saturday
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