JAKARTA: Foreign assistance, including from Malaysia, to help Indonesia combat widespread forest and land fires will have to wait as the republic has yet to declare the situation a national disaster.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the Indonesian government remained confident in its ability to manage the crisis using its own resources.
"For now, we are still capable. Our country is still capable," he told a press conference on Monday.
Acknowledging Malaysia's offer of assistance, he said help would be forthcoming if the situation were declared a national disaster.
"It is not a question of assistance, but there are also many technical challenges on the ground, including fuel distribution and other logistical issues," he said.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reaffirmed Malaysia's readiness to assist Indonesia and said Malaysia had proposed an Asean-level cooperation mechanism to strengthen coordination, preparedness and collective action against transboundary haze.
Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reiterated Malaysia's readiness to mobilise assets, including a Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters and 50 personnel, pending official approval from Indonesia.
The offer was first made during Zahid's meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Hambalang, West Java, on Sept 18. Prabowo welcomed the offer.
On Oct 15, Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir was quoted as saying that Prabowo had approved offers of assistance from neighbouring countries to help combat the widespread forest and land fires, and that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) was holding technical-level discussions on implementation.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd