Gov’t to Focus on Extinguishing Fires in South Sumatera

Gov’t to Focus on Extinguishing Fires in South Sumatera

After visiting the locations of forest and peat land fires in Kampar, Riau and South Sumatera that brought about the current haze crisis, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that South Sumatera has the most hot spots.

Therefore, he said that all steps to extinguish the fires must be concentrated in the province.

“Yes, I can confirm that South Sumatera has the most hot spots. We have to concentrate all efforts (to put out the fires) there. We have to concentrate the planes (deployed to extinguish fires) and soldiers there. All the efforts have been directly commanded by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs there,” President Jokowi told reporters after visiting the construction of a railway at Minangkabau International Airport in Padang, West Sumatera, on Saturday (10/10).

The President also said that planes from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Russia, and China that are deployed to contain the fires would be concentrated in South Sumatera.

“Those planes will be there for a week,” he said, adding that on Sunday (11/10) until Monday (12/10),planes from Singapore and China have arrived.

Asked whether Indonesia will purchase a new special plane to extinguish forest fires, the President asserted that the Government would buy at least 3 new planes that can carry more than 12 tons of water so that in one operation, it can use 12 -15 tons.

Nonetheless, President Jokowi declined to mention the names of the planes that will be bought.

“We may not mention the brand of the airplanes and from which country they are from,” he added.

In the meantime, as for law enforcement against those behind the forest fires, President Jokowi told reporters to ask the matter to the Chief of the National Police (Kapolri).

(DID/UN/GUN/ES) (EP/YM-Naster/Sy)