Jokowi urged to see forest fires for himself

JAKARTA. The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is optimistic that Indonesia can be haze-free in 2015 if the government strengthens law-enforcement measures against the perpetrators of illegal forest and plantation fires.

“Our country can be free from haze in 2015 if the government is serious about enforcing laws and dealing with forest fires,” Walhi’s forest and plantation campaign manager, Zensi Suhadi, said on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

The government should concentrate on preventive measures rather than the reactive ones, like providing face-masks and water hoses, he said.

Zensi urged President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to visit forest-fire sites to better understand the problem.

A call for Jokowi to visit the locations of peatland and forest fires has also been voiced by other civil-society organizations.

Indonesia has been troubled by forest fires, which have also triggered haze problems in neighboring countries, Singapore and Malaysia.