INDONESIA has ruled out declaring its prolonged forest and land fires a national disaster for now, saying the government remains capable of managing the crisis despite cross-border haze affecting neighbouring countries, including Malaysia.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the decision was reached at a limited cabinet meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto at Merdeka Palace yesterday.
“Not yet, not yet. We are still capable of handling it,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Dudung said offers of international assistance were not discussed, although he acknowledged concerns from neighbouring countries over the transboundary haze.
“There has indeed been feedback from other countries regarding these forest fires, but we have made maximum efforts,” he said, expressing hope that the situation could be resolved soon.
On Oct 8, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had contacted Prabowo over the haze and conveyed Malaysia’s readiness to help extinguish the fires.
Dudung said Prabowo had directed firefighting efforts to focus on Tanjung Puting National Park and other affected areas in Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.
“Tanjung Puting and the areas surrounding the national park must be protected because there is wildlife there,” he said.
The national park is internationally renowned for its orangutan conservation and rehabilitation programmes.
Yesterday, Daniel Johan, a member of Commission IV of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR), urged the government to declare the prolonged forest and land fires a national disaster and accept international assistance, including Malaysia’s offer to help fight the blazes.
He said the scale of the crisis required regional cooperation and that accepting outside assistance should not be viewed as a sign of weakness.
Meanwhile, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni warned that authorities would need to remain on high alert for another month, as rain was not expected in parts of Indonesia until mid-November or December.
During an inspection of firefighting operations at Liang Anggang Forest Reserve in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, yesterday, he said the government was preparing to suspend or revoke the business licences of another five or six companies over fire-related violations.
Action had already been taken against 26 companies, including five forestry concession holders in Kalimantan whose licences were revoked on Sept 21, he said.
The concessions cover about 92,464 hectares, of which an estimated 1,169 hectares had been affected by fires. - October 13, 2026