TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution said the government is preparing a new concept to prevent forest and peat land fires.
One of the measures is by establishing a crisis center whose financing comes from outside the State Budget.
"For example, the funds can be from developed countries because if Indonesia managed to prevent the fire, the world would get the benefits," Nasution said on Friday.
According to Nasution, at the cabinet meeting some time ago, the government decided to change the way in the prevention and handling of forest fires.
This year, he said, the condition is better because of the wet dry season.
"We can prepare the concept of preventive measures. This momentum will not happen, "he said.
Operation of this crisis center would involve the army and police, Darmin said.
The government also will set standards that could be used a basis for local governments in developing and using fire prevention budgets.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Wiranto said the government should be serious in forming a semi-permanent organization to manage forest and peat land fires.
In the Meantime, Deputy for Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy Monty Giriana said that compared to the tackling of forest and peat lands, preventing forest fire and peat land fires is cheaper.
Monty said forest and land fires always occur in the same locations, namely South Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.
In 2015, the area of forest fire reached 3.1 million hectares, covering an area of peat lands, oil palm plantations, and non-peat land forest.
ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI
