Coop Among Law Enforcers Necessary For Preventing Forest Fires

Jakarta, Nov 25 (Antara) - Cooperation among all parties such as the law enforcers and the central and regional governments is deemed necessary to prevent peatland and forest fires, stated a minister. "Law enforcement is the answer to the problems related to peatland and forest fires, and law enforcement against the perpetrators should be carried out indiscriminately," Forestry and Environmental Minister Siti Nurbaya stated at the Bogor Palace on Monday. She noted that besides law enforcement, cooperation with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Presidential Working Unit for Supervision and Management of Development (UKP4), and the regional government was important to comprehensively prevent peatland and forest fires. "Now is November, and the rainy season has started to quench the fires, but later in March, as usual, the peatland and forest fires will start again. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken from now on," she noted. Minister Siti Nurbaya said she had sought consultation regarding the matter with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in terms of strategic steps that could be taken to comprehensively deal with forest fires. "There are some steps to tackle forest fires but the most important one is strict and indiscriminate law enforcement against the perpetrators," she affirmed. Siti Nurbaya revealed that intensive monitoring would be carried out in anticipation of forest fires that are expected to recur in March or April next year.