President Prabowo bans land clearing by burning

President Prabowo Subianto has emphasised a ban on anyone clearing land by burning and has asked authorities to strengthen education and law enforcement to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla).

“Explain that burning land is strictly prohibited,” the President said while chairing a limited meeting on forest and land fire management at the Riau Province Forward Post in Pekanbaru on Monday.

In an official broadcast from the Presidential Secretariat monitored in Jakarta, Prabowo asked all officials to provide education to communities at the village level regarding the ban on land burning and the impacts it can cause. He said these efforts need to be carried out to prevent people from deliberately burning land for any reason.

The President said communities that need to clear land can report their needs to the village head, sub-district head or regent. The government will then assist with the land clearing process through an organised mechanism.

“If they need to clear land, they report to the village head, sub-district head, regent, and later the government will help them,” the President said.

According to the President, the TNI and Polri need to assist regional governments in providing support to communities. Land clearing can be organised through farmer groups, while financing can use the cooperative people’s business credit (KUR) mechanism.

“The TNI and Polri will assist regional governments, assist the people. Organised, per farmer group, organised, and later the costs can go through cooperative KUR, but they must not be left uncontrolled,” Prabowo said.

In addition to banning burning by the public, the President asked authorities to take firm action if any corporation directs land burning. He asked the Police, the Attorney General’s Office and intelligence elements to investigate every indication of corporate involvement.

“Moreover, if there is a corporation that orders it, I ask the police and the Attorney General’s Office to investigate. Intelligence should investigate. If there is any indication, report immediately, and we will revoke it immediately,” the President said.

The President even stressed that the government will revoke all corporate permits if any indication of involvement in land burning is found. He asked the police to play an important role in law enforcement against perpetrators of burning.

“Whoever, whatever corporation, if there is even a slight indication that they are involved in ordering burning, we will revoke their permits. All of the corporation’s permits will be revoked. I am not playing around, please,” Prabowo said.

In addition to strengthening education and law enforcement, the President instructed officials to take early action against every hotspot so that it does not develop into a fire point. He asked authorities to immediately visit hotspot locations and prepare water sources, including through the construction of bore wells.

“Don’t wait until it becomes a fire point. Please enter the hotspot location. Immediately go in and take early action. In those places, water boreholes can be made,” the President said.

Prabowo stressed that prevention and law enforcement must run simultaneously so that forest and land fire management does not only focus on extinguishing fires, but also prevents fires from the earliest indications.