Dudung: BNPB to Coordinate Singapore’s Firefighting Assistance

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said assistance from Singapore to tackle forest and land fires would soon be coordinated with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Speaking to reporters after a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday, Dudung said the Indonesian Government had responded to offers of assistance from Malaysia and Singapore to extinguish fires in several areas.

“Singapore will also provide assistance, which will be discussed with the head of BNPB,” Dudung said.

He added that Malaysia had prepared 52 personnel and three aircraft to help deal with the fires.

Dudung stressed that the Indonesian Government had deployed 60,000 personnel and 47 aircraft to extinguish fires at various locations across the country.

He said the President had also urged the government at Monday’s meeting to strengthen fire mitigation and prevention, as the fires recur in Indonesia.

“The President’s instruction is that action must not begin only after a fire has broken out. Measures must instead be taken beforehand to anticipate it,” he said.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said in a statement to the House of Representatives on Thursday (15 October) that President Prabowo Subianto had approved offers of assistance from neighbouring countries to help extinguish the fires.

He said arrangements for the assistance were being discussed at the technical level by BNPB.

“That has been discussed and is now in process. As we know, the President has also given his approval,” Arrmanatha said.