Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has yet to discuss an offer from Malaysia to help tackle forest and land fires, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said on Monday.
“It has not been discussed yet,” Abdurachman told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday, responding to a question about whether the limited meeting on forest and land fires had addressed offers of firefighting assistance from Malaysia and Singapore.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier said Malaysia was still awaiting Indonesia’s response to its offer to help extinguish forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Indonesia has stepped up firefighting efforts, particularly in national parks and conservation areas, with a fire in Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan among its main priorities.
Abdurachman said President Prabowo Subianto had given special attention to the fire at the park, which serves as a conservation and rehabilitation centre for Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).
Firefighting operations are also being carried out at other locations in Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.
Firefighting efforts are currently being conducted mainly through ground operations, as some fire sites cannot be reached by helicopter due to limited visibility caused by thick haze.
“According to a report from the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), helicopter operations have been carried out, but ground operations have been more dominant because the areas are difficult to reach from the air due to the extremely thick smoke,” Abdurachman said.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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