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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Bakom insists Indonesia is still tackling forest fires during president's foreign trip

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Indonesia says it continues deploying personnel, firefighting vehicles, aircraft, helicopters and heavy equipment against forest and land fires in Kalimantan while President Prabowo Subianto visits Russia.
  • The government sent 100 additional fire trucks and 15 excavators after hotspots peaked on Aug. 29 and later declined.
  • Officials said the response must also protect education and address the risk of respiratory infections caused by smoke exposure.

Indonesia's government says its response to forest and land fires in Kalimantan has continued even as President Prabowo Subianto travels abroad, including for an economic forum in Vladivostok, Russia.

The Communication Agency, known as Bakom RI, said authorities have deployed personnel, firefighting vehicles, aircraft, helicopters and heavy equipment to affected areas. Deputy IV Bakom RI Ulta Levenia said the president had ensured that the response mechanism and chain of command were in place during visits to fire-affected areas.

The president did not come merely to see conditions in the field, but to ensure that the response machinery was working, the chain of command had been formed, and all state resources were moving.

· Ulta LeveniaThe Bakom official described the purpose of Prabowo's visits to fire-affected areas.

“ The president did not come merely to see conditions in the field, but to ensure that the response machinery was working, the chain of command had been formed, and all state resources were moving,” Ulta said. The president visited Kubu Raya in West Kalimantan on Aug. 22 and later chaired a response meeting in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan. The military and police were assigned by region, while the government sent 100 more fire trucks and 15 excavators.

Leading a country as large as Indonesia requires the ability to carry out domestic and foreign agendas simultaneously. The two cannot be set against each other.

· Ulta LeveniaShe defended the government's continued overseas agenda during the fire response.

According to the SiPongi forest and land fire control system, hotspots reached their peak on Aug. 29 before trending downward. Prabowo was still receiving updates from the military and police chiefs on the morning of Sept. 1, after which he proceeded with the Russia trip.

Ulta said the Vladivostok visit also covered bilateral trade, a possible trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, fertilizer and improved-seed cooperation, energy and market access for Indonesian products. At home, she said central and regional governments must keep education running while prioritizing the risk of acute respiratory infections from smoke exposure.

The central and regional governments must ensure that educational activities continue while prioritizing the handling of the risk of acute respiratory infections caused by smoke exposure.

· Ulta LeveniaShe outlined public-health and education priorities during the fires.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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