Jokowi Upset by Indonesian Wildfire Haze Making World Headlines
Translator
Ricky Mohammad Nugraha
Editor
Laila Afifa
Selasa, 6 Agustus 2019 17:37 WIB
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) listens to an explanation from PLN's acting CEO Sripeni Inten Cahyani during a visit at PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) headquarters after a major power blackout in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 5, 2019. Sripeni Inten Cahyani, PLN's acting CEO, said the company is still conducting recovery operations and warned there would be rolling blackouts until power is fully restored in Jakarta and surrounding areas. TEMPO/Subekti.
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo divulged in disappointment over the increasing hotspots produced by the wildfires in 2019 which according to official reports grew 69 percent in 17 provinces compared to last year.
More pressingly is the fact that the forest fires were heavily reported by news agencies in neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.
“I am aware that [the forest fires] have become news headlines [in Singapore and Malaysia] after the haze crossed continents to our neighbors again. Take extreme caution on this issue, we will truly be ashamed if we fail to solve this issue,” said the president in the national coordination meeting on wildfires of 2019 at the State Palace today.
He reiterated that people in Malaysia and Singapore were generally glad that wildfire haze was non-existent in the past four years. The severe forest fires in 2015 were proven to be harmful in terms of economic and bilateral relations for Indonesia.
In the meeting, President Jokowi strongly reminded regional leaders, police chiefs, and military commanders to better mitigate and prevent reoccurrence of disasters such as wildfires.
