JAKARTA (The Straits Times/ANN): Indonesian officials welcomed offers of assistance from Singapore and Malaysia to tackle forest and land fires that have sent haze blanketing the region, with one disaster management official saying firefighters on the ground could be more useful than helicopters.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) acting spokesman Berton Panjaitan told The Straits Times on Oct 10 that personnel on the ground would be preferable to aircraft if neighbouring countries were to provide assistance.
“The problem is that even if aircraft are provided, for example helicopters, visibility is very low,” he said. “So, if you ask us, I think it would be better to have personnel on the ground rather than helicopters.”
He noted that this was his personal assessment of what would be most useful in fighting the fires, rather than an official request for international assistance. BNPB was not involved in negotiating foreign assistance, which was handled by other government ministries, he added.
Forestry Ministry spokesman Ristianto Pribadi told ST on Oct 10: “The Ministry of Forestry appreciates the concern and readiness of Malaysia and Singapore to assist in tackling forest and land fires. We regard their willingness to help as a demonstration of friendship and the spirit of regional cooperation to protect communities from the impact of forest and land fires and haze.”
Neither official could confirm whether Indonesia had formally accepted Singapore’s offer of assistance.
Ristianto said that cooperation involving other countries was coordinated through Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, Indonesia continues to battle forest and land fires across Sumatra and Kalimantan, where peat fires have proved particularly difficult to extinguish.
The Forestry Ministry said on Oct 9 that 61 aircraft were on standby to fight the fires. Air quality remains unhealthy to very unhealthy in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, with hazardous levels recorded in some areas of Kalimantan.
Berton said he hopes that rainfall expected in late October or early November would help extinguish the fires. “Only rain can flood the peatland. It takes heavy rain, and not just once or twice, to put the fires out completely,” he told Kompas TV on Oct 10.
Additional reporting by Karina Tehusijarana -- The Straits Times/Asia News Network
