Kabareskrim Polri Reaffirms Commitment To Handling Karhutla

JAKARTA - The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police, Komjen Agus Andrianto, emphasized the commitment of the National Police in dealing with the problem of forest and land fires (karhutla) which President Joko Widodo had warned before the dry season.

Agus said that the National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, had already received instructions from President Joko Widodo regarding the handling of forest and land fires. If they failed to take anticipatory steps in their respective areas, they would be removed from office.

"The direction of the National Police Chief as well as the President's emphasis on forest and land fires is difficult (the police chief and the regional commander can be removed) if they do not take steps to anticipate forest and land fires in their respective areas," Agus said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, May 10.

There are also anticipatory efforts made by the police, Agus said, by conducting direct monitoring and supervision in the field and using the ASAP Polri application which was launched in 2021.

The National Police's Digital Control Analysis System (ASAP) application has also been featured at the k-26 COP Climate Conference in Glasglow, October-November 2021.

The National Digital ASAP functions as a means of controlling and preventing forest and land fires from the district/city, provincial to central levels.

"We are monitoring the forest and land fire monitoring application, right, through the application launched by the National Police Chief and the LHK Minister last year, we also receive reports from the Satwil staff regarding the anticipation of forest and land fires," said Agus.

Agus said the monitoring was carried out thoroughly, once hotspots were monitored, the police and the forest and land fires task force would be reminded to take steps.

Until now, Agus continued, there have been no reports of smoke disturbances caused by forest and land fires that occurred in the region. "We are monitoring, as soon as there is a hot spot, we will remind the ranks," he said.

Previously reported, President Joko Widodo in the Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace in Jakarta, Monday (9/5), gave six directions regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic turmoil to ministers.

In the fourth directive, the President reminded the importance of high sensitivity related to the crisis in Indonesia, ranging from the dry season, the threat of forest and land fires, to nail and mouth disease that attacks livestock in the country.