Prabowo Signals Regulatory Changes to Prevent Forest Fires - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of streamlining regulations and corporate oversight to prevent forest fires, especially in peatland areas.

In a broadcast on the President Secretariat’s YouTube channel, the president discussed peatland management and the risk of forest fires with academics. Prabowo said the government will continue investigating corporations that deliberately engage in burning.

In addition to taking enforcement actions against violators, the president said regulatory improvements are necessary to strengthen fire prevention.

"We will continue to investigate corporations that deliberately engage in burning. First, we must rectify the regulations. We have to be firm on this," said Prabowo, as quoted by ANTARA.

The president said several local regulations at the regency level still allow land burning of up to two hectares. According to Prabowo, that provision could create a loophole that complicates control efforts if the fire spreads.

"There are still eight regency-level regional regulations. Just imagine someone trying to exploit the loophole allowing the burning of two hectares—which, in my view, is complete nonsense, the idea that a single person can burn two hectares. If they burn two hectares, how do you stop that fire?" added Prabowo.