Sarwono urges decree on natural disasters<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono
\nKusumaatmadja has said another, more comprehensive decree on
\nnatural disasters is needed to better prepare for future
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a year-end media gathering Tuesday evening,
\nSarwono said a clearer definition of what a disaster was and ways
\nto cope with one were needed to help the country's bureaucracy
\nwork in a crisis.<\/p>\n
He said a presidential decree would help refine the work of
\nthe National Disaster Coordinating Board (Bakornas PB).<\/p>\n
\"The definition of a disaster and ways to deal with one (in
\nthe current presidential decree) are neither clear nor complete,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said it was the nature of a bureaucracy \"not to be able to
\nwork if given an unclear definition of a problem or incomplete
\nways of dealing with it.\"<\/p>\n
Bakornas PB, chaired by Coordinating Minister for People's
\nWelfare Azwar Anas, was established under a presidential decree
\nin 1990 as a inter-ministerial coordinating institution.<\/p>\n
Some of the bodies it includes are the ministries of social
\naffairs, home affairs, health, public works, information; the
\nArmed Forces; and provincial governors.<\/p>\n
The office of the state minister of environment, the
\nministries of forestry, agriculture, defense and security, and
\nthe Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technologies are
\nnon-permanent members of Bakornas PB.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said: \"Although it (last year's forest fires) was
\nclearly a disaster, not many (bureaucrats) responded well to it.\"<\/p>\n
He recounted his recent experiences with government colleagues
\nwho had \"no sensitivity to the urgency of the problem at all.\"<\/p>\n
\"In this situation only those who are innovative can react
\nfast to this kind of disaster without bothering with the red
\ntape,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Sarwono, the recent brush and forest fires should
\nhave served as a \"good lesson\" for both the government and the
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\"Among other things we should be more knowledgeable about ways
\nof detecting a (forest fire) disaster. We need to create an early
\nwarning system that will enable us to take any necessary steps,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Huge brush and forest fires raged in Sumatra and Kalimantan in
\nthe latter half of 1997. The resulting haze not only enveloped
\nmany parts of the country but also neighboring Malaysia and
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
The situation was aggravated by the El Nio weather phenomenon
\nwhich helped delay the monsoon.<\/p>\n
Sarwono maintained that the ad hoc national coordinating team
\nto fight forest fires, set up by President Soeharto last
\nSeptember, should be incorporated into Bakornas PB through a new
\ndecree.<\/p>\n
\"If it was, every province would have its own forest fire
\ncoordinating unit,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said a \"detailed final losses assessment\" of the
\ndisaster would be completed in two months.<\/p>\n
He said a study of the impact of the fires was currently being
\nconducted by the government in cooperation with the European
\nUnion. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sarwono-urges-decree-on-natural-disasters-1447893297",
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