Indonesian minister warns regional chiefs could be removed for failing to curb forest fires

Coordinating Minister for Political, Security, and Legal Affairs, General (Ret.) Djamari Chaniago, has reminded regional leaders that the regulation allowing for the dismissal of Regional Military Commanders (Pangdam) and Police Chiefs (Kapolda) for failing to control forest and land fires remains in effect. He stressed that their positions are at risk if they cannot effectively manage these fires within their jurisdictions.

During his regional tours, Djamari emphasized that a leader's success in combating forest and land fires is a critical factor influencing their future career progression. He stated that the central government has clear indicators to assess the effectiveness of fire control measures. If fires spread uncontrollably, the Pangdam and Kapolda of the affected region face potential dismissal.

"The rule is still valid. When I toured the regions, I stressed that. Your success in handling forest and land fires is how it will affect your future career," Djamari said at the Coordinating Ministry's office in Central Jakarta on Monday. He confirmed that the central government monitors the situation by measuring the success of local authorities in extinguishing hotspots. "It's not just about the existence of hotspots; there can be many hotspots, and there are hotspots now. It means that in the effort to control it, it is measured whether it is successful or not. If it is not successful, then there are consequences," he added, confirming the regulation's continued applicability.