East Kotawaringin Regent Evaluates Unspent Emergency Funds for Forest and Land Fire Handling

The Regent of East Kotawaringin (Kotim), Central Kalimantan, Halikinnor, is evaluating the Unforeseen Expenditure Budget (BTT) allocated for handling forest and land fires (karhutla) that has not yet been absorbed, even though the emergency status has been in place for quite some time.

“Because the available funds of around Rp5 billion have not been absorbed,” said Halikinnor in Sampit on Wednesday.

He said the evaluation is necessary to ensure the availability of the karhutla handling budget remains in line with needs, especially since the regional government has declared an emergency status for forest and land fires and drought.

The emergency status is in effect for 28 days, from 30 July to 26 August 2026, after the regional government assessed that conditions in the field had met a number of disaster indicators.

The BTT budget should have been used to maximise efforts to handle the increasingly severe forest and land fires and drought in the region known as Bumi Habaring Hurung.

For this reason, Halikinnor moved quickly to gather all Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD) as well as parties previously involved in the preparation of the 2026 Regional Budget (APBD) to conduct further evaluation and coordination.

“If it is indeed sufficient until September-October, then perhaps we will not add to it. Conversely, if the situation is truly an emergency, then we will add more,” he said.

The regional government, he continued, is also not solely relying on the regional budget capacity in dealing with the disaster, but continues to coordinate with the central government to obtain support.

“In addition, we are also requesting assistance from the central BNPB, including equipment and everything else,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the East Kotawaringin Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Multazam, acknowledged that the slow disbursement of BTT funds has become one of the challenges in supporting the operational needs for handling forest and land fires in the field.

Multazam said the regent has instructed that the process of disbursing and using the BTT funds be accelerated immediately so that the BPBD can fulfil its obligations to providers while ensuring the operational needs of the Task Force remain met.

“The regent has just ordered that it be expedited so that we can pay using cashless or non-cash methods,” he said.