On Forest Fire Suppression Targets, Defence Minister Sjafrie: It Depends on the Indonesian People

Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has said that handling forest and land fires requires mutual cooperation from all parties. According to him, the process of extinguishing forest and land fires depends on the Indonesian people.

Initially, Sjafrie explained that the defence budget is used for two types of targets, namely programme targets and dynamic targets. According to him, forest and land fires and natural disasters fall under dynamic targets.

“Yes. In receiving the budget, we use it for two targets, one programme target and one dynamic target,” said Sjafrie after a working meeting with Commission I of the House of Representatives at the parliament building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (31/8/2026).

“Programme targets have already been allocated, but dynamic targets such as forest fires and earthquakes will also receive state assistance through the defence budget so that we can accelerate the aid we can provide in dealing with earthquake disasters and forest fire disasters,” he continued.

Sjafrie then said that the target for extinguishing forest and land fires depends on the Indonesian people. According to him, mutual cooperation from all parties is needed.

“I was told by the Chairman of Commission I that the forest fire target depends on the Indonesian people,” he said.

Sjafrie then invited all parties to work together. He also asked business owners who have equipment to help handle forest and land fires.

“So we must work together to overcome all of this. Earlier I already said that business owners who have heavy equipment, defence equipment, and water-bombing helicopters should assist the National Disaster Mitigation Agency,” he said.