President Jokowi will Replace the Officials with Many Forest Fire Cases

President when giving direction in a coordination meeting on forest and peatland fires, at the State Palace, Jakarta (18/11)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo led the  2016 National Coordination Meeting on the Prevention of Forest and Peatland Fires, at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (18/1) afternoon. Starting his directive, President Jokowi said that 2015 had gave us a lesson on forest and peatland fires management which turn out creating haze and brought a great impact to the economy of the regions.

“Our economic growth decreased by 0.2 from the estimation due to fire and haze problems,” President added.

Therefore, in 2016, President Jokowi said there must be an early warning as early detection to the forest and peatland fires problem which will be rapidly handled by the related apparatuses.

“We still have the Indonesian National Defence Forces Commander (TNI), Indonesian National Police Chief (Kapolri), with back up from National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Commander of Military Area (Pangdam), Regional Police Chief (Kapolda). We also have Military Resort Command (Danrem), Regency Police Chief (Kapolres), Military District Command (Dandim), Subdistrict Military Command (Koramil), Sectoral Police Chief (Kapolsek). All of them must be directed to prevent the situation. We must be optimistic, everything must be moved,” the President firmly said.

To make a better handling, the President said that he, Kapolri, and TNI Commander agreed to apply reward and punishment. “If the administration area of an official is on fire and the fire is spreading and becomes larger, the official will be removed from his/her position, as I mentioned before. It applied from the upper-rank officials to lower-rank officials. If the official has done good job and there is no land on fire, he/she will certainly get promotion,” the President said.

President Jokowi asserted that we must work seriously. The President himself almost everyday conduct working visits on the field. It is the key.

According to President Jokowi, if Military Resort Command (Danrem) could act and report the lacking in infrastructures to the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), it is reflecting the back up, because BNPB does not have troops. The one with troops is TNI Commander and Kapolri, because they have Subdistrict Military Command (Koramil), and Sectoral Police which can reach the location. “The Governor as well as the Regent/Mayor are backing up the budget. It is the key. It is the agreement between TNI Commander, Kapolri, and I,” the President explained.

The President reiterated that once again, the fires must not occur this year. “I have already said how much forest and peatland which were on fire, I do not need to repeat it. However, I want to asserted that in 2016 we must learn from what happened in 2015. We must handle the situation better, more active, and to prioritize preventive actions. Do not let the fire spread once more,” the President said.

On the occasion, President Jokowi also asserted that we have no other choice, we must conduct improvement and management to the ecosystem. Therefore, the President asked Peatland Restoration Agency to directly work, make plan and masterplan, because the world will see it.

Peatland Restoration Agency, the President added, will work until 31 December 2020. “The Agency is under Nazir Foead leadership. He is from NGO, not a bureaucrat. Hopefully, the Agency will get international support because they see how we work,” President Jokowi said.

The President also asserted that new permit in peatland area must no longer be issued. “I have already ordered the Minister of Environment and Forestry to take over the peatland areas which are on fire and later assigned Peatland Restoration Agency to immediately make an action plan,” the President said.

President Jokowi wants the law enforcement continue to be executed. The one who is guilty must be sentenced. “Take firm steps to the person who burn the forest and peatland, both in a form of administrative sanctions as delivered by the Coordinating Minister or the Minister, or criminal santions, and civil sanctions, in order to stop the continuous action,” President Jokowi firmly said.

Attending the coordination meeting were Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Ministry of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/ Head of the National Land Agency (BPN) Ferry M. Baldan, Governors, Commanders of Military Area (Pangdam) and Regional Police Chiefs (Kapolda) of regions that are potentially affected by forest and land fires. (UN/EN/ES) (RAS/MMD/YM/Naster)