Jokowi Instructs Police Chief, TNI Commander to Handle Wildfire

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has contacted National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian and Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto regarding the land and forest fire issue.

According to the head of presidential press bureau Erlin Suastini, the President also reached Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chairman Doni Monardo, and BMKG chief Dwikorita Karnawati on Friday evening, September 13, instructing them to conduct coordination in tackling the wildfire.

TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said that his institution uses weather modification technology or artificial precipitation in the areas affected by the forest fire. “The artificial rainfall was made to fall on Indragiri Hilir, Riau, today (Friday)," he said in an official press release from Presidential Secretary on Saturday, September 14.

Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said TNI has deployed additional CN-295 and Hercules aircraft to induce bigger artificial rain by spreading 3.5-ton salt, adding that he and Police Chief Tito Karnavian had previously come straight away to the field to handle the wildfire.

Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) chief Dwikorita stated that rain is forecasted to fall on Riau Province today.

BNPB chairman Doni Monardo calls on everyone, especially regional officials, to synergize in tackling the country's annual phenomenon.

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani