Defence Minister Urges Business Owners with Helicopters and Military Equipment to Assist Government in Forest Fire Management

The Minister of Defence, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, has requested business owners who possess military-grade equipment and helicopters to assist the government in managing forest and land fires (karhutla).

According to Sjafrie, this initiative represents a form of ‘gotong-royong’ (mutual cooperation) among the Indonesian people. “We must work together to overcome this. I have already requested that entrepreneurs who possess heavy machinery, military equipment, helicopters, and water bombing capabilities provide assistance to the BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency),” Sjafii told reporters at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Monday, 31 August 2026.

Sjafrie explained that the success of forest fire management depends on the collective effort of the Indonesian people. Therefore, he is calling on all parties to work hand-in-hand to resolve this issue.

“We are communicating this to each sector or party involved in forest fire disasters,” he stated.

“Specifically, we are inviting cooperation and mutual assistance from all forestry entrepreneurs operating within the national territory to participate in mitigating these developing forest fires,” Sjafrie added.

On this occasion, Sjafrie also noted that friendly nations are assisting Indonesia in managing the forest fires. Japan, for instance, has provided aid in the form of aircraft.

“We have received assistance from a friendly nation, Japan, through bilateral aid between our respective Ministries of Defence, in the form of sending aircraft to help tackle forest fires in our territory,” Sjafrie concluded.