Deputy Food Minister: MES Liquid Innovation is a Solution for Extinguishing Fire Sources

Banjarbaru (ANTARA) - The Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food, who also serves as the Coordinator for Forest and Land Fire Prevention in South Kalimantan, Hanif Faisund Nurofiq, stated that the innovation of Methyl Ester Sulfonate (MES) based liquid, modified by the South Kalimantan Regional Police Laboratory (Bidlabfor), is a solution for extinguishing fire sources in peatlands.

“This liquid has proven effective in breaking the oxygen chain, drastically reducing peat soil temperatures, and significantly saving water usage,” he said during a Coordination Meeting on Forest and Land Fire Prevention at the South Kalimantan Police Auditorium in Banjarbaru on Saturday.

He noted that according to BMKG monitoring, the El Niño phenomenon is projected to persist until the end of the year. The cold temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean have resulted in minimal water vapour formation, making weather modification operations (artificial rain technology) almost impossible to conduct in the near future.

The threat is becoming increasingly real as fires have struck Peat Hydrological Areas (KHG) covering approximately 160,000 hectares, with depths ranging from 0.5 to 3 metres, which are experiencing serious degradation.

“The fires, 99 per cent of which are triggered by human factors, are impacting clean water supplies in Banjarbaru, Banjarmasin, and Tanah Laut, and are threatening regional food security,” he added.

He expressed his appreciation for the findings of the South Kalimantan Police and encouraged the immediate registration of a patent for this monumental work in peatland management.

He also conveyed his appreciation for the hard work of the TNI, Polri, BPBD, local governments, and volunteers on the front lines in handling forest and land fires.

The South Kalimantan Provincial Regional Secretary, Muhammad Syarifuddin, reaffirmed the commitment to regional budgeting through Unforeseen Expenditures (BTT) to support operations and facilities for volunteers in the field during fire prevention efforts.

The South Kalimantan Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Rosyanto Yudha Hermawan, instructed the strengthening of persuasive measures and massive socialisation down to the level of neighbourhood heads, village chiefs, and community officers to educate the public against land clearing through burning.

“Arrest and legally process those responsible for land burning,” he said.