Minister Of Environment And Forestry Ensures Malaysia's Letter Is Not A Complaint Of Smoke Fog But Wants To Help Handling Forest And Land Fires

Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Siti Nurbaya Bakar. BETWEEN PHOTO/Dhemas Reviyanto/ama.

YOGYAKARTA - Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Siti Nurbaya Bakar wants Indonesia and Malaysia to study with each other regarding the problem of forest and land fires (karhutla) currently being faced.

"I think we just learn from each other, especially since Indonesia will become a coordination center for handling cross-border smoke," said Siti Nurbaya at the Campus of Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Yogyakarta as reported by ANTARA, Friday, October 20.

Based on the data it has, Siti ensures that smoke due to forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia does not cross to Malaysia.

For that reason, according to him, the wrong address was if Malaysia then submitted a complaint to Indonesia.

"Based on the data, there is no 'transboundary haze' (cross-border smoke) so it cannot be submitted to Indonesia," he said.

Moreover, according to Siti, forest and land fires in Indonesia were also triggered by the concession land area of a number of foreign companies, including those from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and China. "So in my opinion, just learn from each other," he said.

Regarding the letter sent by the Malaysian Government, Siti Nurbaya confirmed that the letter did not include a complaint to Indonesia.

Through the letter, according to him, the neighboring state government actually offered assistance for the handling of forest and land fires.

"I've read the letter. It contains not a complaint. He only said that the air quality in his place was not good then if there was cooperation that could be done between Indonesia and Malaysia he was very happy to be able to help," said Siti.

However, the Minister of Environment and Forestry emphasized that in terms of its vast territory, Indonesia already has a self-service system for handling forest and land fires and is currently being worked on.

"Our area is big, we ask for forgiveness, try to compare Malaysia with Indonesia, this 'emang' is not the opposite, you know. But what is certain is that we have our own system and we are tidying it up, now it is being tidied up. Indeed, fluctuating ups and downs," he said.

As previously reported, the Malaysian government reported that it had sent a letter to Indonesia regarding cross-border smoke pollution.

The letter was sent by the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change of Malaysia Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Through the letter, he informed about the impact of Indonesia's forest and land fires on Malaysia and urged the Indonesian government to immediately follow up on the issue.