Prabowo Holds Limited Cabinet Meeting on El Niño, AHY and BMKG Chief Arrive at Palace

President Prabowo Subianto summoned the head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Teuku Faisal Fathani, as well as the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), to hold a limited meeting at the Palace this afternoon. The meeting addressed anticipation of extreme weather and disaster management.

“Regarding extreme weather and disaster management,” said Faisal to reporters upon arriving at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (27/7).

Echoing this, AHY said the limited meeting with Prabowo would discuss anticipation of extreme weather, particularly El Nino. According to him, efficient water resource management is important, both for household needs and for rice field irrigation.

“Then, of course, in addition to that, we must anticipate where truly necessary; we will coordinate with the BMKG, for example, to carry out weather modification operations to ensure the water levels in our reservoirs, including lakes, remain in a safe condition,” he said.

Another matter to be discussed was forest and land fires (karhutla). AHY said that forest and land fires were also an important issue to anticipate.

“Secondly, of course, there is also the threat of karhutla, forest and land fires. This is also something we must seriously anticipate, so that fire hotspots do not get out of control. Peatlands must also be kept wet. This is to mitigate the potential for forest fires. I think that’s the approach,” he said.

The limited meeting was also attended by the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii, the head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satri, and the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni.