Prabowo steps up Indonesia's firefighting efforts; foreign offers of help not discussed

JAKARTA: Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto has ordered firefighting efforts to be stepped up to battle the ongoing land and forest fires, stressing for the optimal deployment of resources at a meeting on Monday (Oct 12). 

The country is focusing its firefighting efforts on Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra provinces, authorities added. 

But offers from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore to aid in suppressing the haze-causing fires were not discussed at the meeting, Coordinating Political and Security Minister Dudung Abdurachman reportedly said.

Widespread land and forest fires have raged in Indonesia for weeks, causing transboundary haze, a spike in respiratory conditions in the three countries and the shutting of schools in parts of Malaysia including the southern state of Johor.

Indonesia’s Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said on Monday that over 60,000 personnel are supporting ground operations, with water bombing also being carried out. 

Ground operations have been more dominant because some areas are difficult to reach by helicopter “due to the extremely thick smoke”, Dudung told journalists after the meeting at the Presidential Palace, as reported by Antara news agency. 

He said joint teams made up of the military, national police and other agencies are currently involved in firefighting efforts and can cover up to 692 hectares per day, Antara reported. 

Personnel will be rotated to prevent excessive fatigue, Dudung said.

Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously said his country had offered a firefighting aircraft, three helicopters and 52 officers and personnel to assist with firefighting operations in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Singapore Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Oct 10 that she had been in touch with her Indonesian counterpart Jumhur Hidayat, adding that Singapore is prepared to help Indonesia in fighting forest fires wherever necessary amid the ongoing haze.

Prabowo on Monday also directed that firefighting in Central Kalimantan’s Tanjung Puting National Park, a stronghold for orangutans and other wildlife, be prioritised. Tanjung Puting is the world’s largest conservation and rehabilitation centre for orangutans.

Conditions in four provinces – Riau, West Kalimantan, Jambi and South Kalimantan – are showing signs of improvement, Teddy said.

Between Aug 18 and Sep 21, Indonesia's health ministry recorded close to 175,000 cases of acute respiratory infections in areas affected by forest and land fires. Of these, over 40,000 cases involved children under the age of five. 

The ministry said last month it was strengthening health posts and hospitals to serve people experiencing health problems posed by the land and forest fires.