The Indonesian government will accept foreign donation for victims of the magnitude-7.4 earthquake and a subsequent tsunami that devastated Palu and Donggal, Central Sulawesi Province, on September 28, 2018.

"Last night, President @jokowi authorized us to accept international help for urgent disaster-response and relief. I am helping to coordinate assistance from private sectors around the world. Please message me at my social media accounts or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ," Thomas Lembong, head of the Investment Coordinating Board, noted on its Twitter account, @tomlembong, Monday.

Meanwhile, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said he had coordinated the matter with Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi.

"I just contacted the foreign affairs minister in New York. She said that the president has expressed willingness to accept international assistance in accordance with our needs. It means we welcome international offers. It will be latter coordinated with the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs," he stated.

The Agency and the Foreign Affairs Ministry are currently preparing the mechanism and procedures in line with the existing regulations, he added.

He, however, said the government will not declare the earthquake and tsunami in Palu and Donggala a national disaster, although the government welcomes foreign aid. (ANTARA)