President Asks to Review Peatland Permits

President Jokowi led a limited meeting discussing the follow-up of forest and land fires management, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Wednesday (4/11) afternoon

Based on the latest report, the number of hot spots is excessively decreased: 53 hot spots in Sumatra and 174 hot spots in Kalimantan. Thus, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo called on all parties to make use of this momentum.

“We will focus on the prevention. We will conduct a review on the Law which providing opportunity for the act of burning the peatland,” President Jokowi said when giving a remarks on a limited meeting discussing the follow-up of forest and land fires management, at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Wednesday (4/11) afternoon.

President Jokowi also stressed on the needs to review the permits and concession granted, particularly consession granted to peatland.

“I instructed the Ministry of Environment and Forestry not to give new permits relating with peatland,” the President firmly said.

According to the President, it needs special management for peatland. Therefore, a possibility to establish an agency or a task force through a Presidential Regulation will be discussed, so that they can take action immediately.

“Do not wait until dry season comes without doing nothing,” President Jokowi said while mentioning that even though the rain is starting to fall, the Government will carry on the handling and the management of the fires.

President Jokowi also requested to carry on the construction of canal blocking in order to wet the peatland.

The President also said that he has received several peatland experts from Gadjah Mada University Yogyakarta yesterday. They gave comprehensive inputs to that matter.

“I asked the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to involve them, the peatland experts, in designing peatland management in the future,” President Jokowi requested while mentioning that the action to be taken is already clear.

Therefore, starting today (Wednesday, 4/11), the President asked to follow-up several things that he has delivered.

The limited meeting was attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Rizal Ramli, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Minister of National Development Planning/the Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Sofyan Djalil, Presidential Chief of Staffs Teten Masduki, Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) Chief Gen . Gatot Nurmantyo, Indonesian National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, the Attorney General, Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro, and Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek. (GUN/UN/DNS/ES) (RAS/MMB/YM/Naster)