TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - There is no doubt at all that the methods and style of how the Joko Widodo government is handling the haze disaster gives us the impression of indolence and languidness. While people throughout Sumatra and Kalimantan have been hit by a disaster that according to US space agency NASA is the worst in the history of Indonesia, President Joko Widodo seems to have remained calm and distant.
The cabinet secretary has tried to 'cover up' the mess by insisting that the government is serious in its handling of the disaster. As proof of this, the President is to make another visit to Sumatra to coordinate relief efforts. The cabinet secretary also said that the President had visited three provinces hit by the smoke within the last month. This statement, although amusing in its own way, was not what the disaster victims wanted to hear.
Independent polls have shown that people living in the disaster areas do not want ceremonial visits in which the head of state offers sympathy. The key issue is how to put out the fires, something that is not as easy as gesturing with the hands. At the very least, what the people want to see is the government being serious in its handling of this yearly calamity. And this seriousness cannot be shown through mere ceremonial visits.
As of two weeks ago, the Terra Aqua satellite photographed 1,559 hot spots in Sumatra and 257 in Kalimantan. In Jambi, the air pollution index has exceeded 600, three times the danger level. Similar numbers were reported in South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. In Riau, instead of buying instant noodles and snacks, people are rushing to buy cans of oxygen. It would be strange indeed if this did not spur the government into taking action.
The haze that is choking our fellow citizens in Sumatra and Kalimantan is no ordinary smoke. It contains chemicals that can cause health problems, especially to air passages and lungs. It is also hazardous to the skin and eyes. For children living in the disaster areas, their respiratory systems are still developing, meaning they breathe more and therefore inhale more smoke.
The home affairs minister sent a radiogram to regional government offices down to the village level urging them to 'pick up the ball' and deal with the disaster. It is not clear what they are supposed to do with this 'ball' because these local government officials are the 'ball'. And not just any ball, but a 'fireball'.
President Joko Widodo should not hesitate to declare affected areas as a national disaster. Once it is officially a national disaster, Jokowi should not be ashamed to ask for help from our neighbors. After all, unofficially, the Singapore NGO Relief Singapore (RSG) has already taken direct action by bringing and distributing 25,000 N95 masks in Central Kalimantan.
The next step is to take stern action against the large companies responsible for starting the fires. As a forestry graduate, Jokowi should understand that not all peatlands can be converted into plantations, that some must be preserved for the sake of conservation. Without such an understanding and taking the tough action needed, it will be difficult for Jokowi to prevent the impression that his government is one example of indolence. (*)
