Anticipating Swift Action from the New Head of BNPB

He stressed that the response time would not be counted in days; BNPB is committed to responding to the karhutla every minute.

This approach aims to prevent casualties.

"That’s why I mentioned the need to be responsive. The response time needs to be measured in minutes, not hours. This is what we aim to evaluate moving forward, to ensure there are no more unnecessary casualties," he explained.

Kristomei also underscored the importance of collaboration in tackling karhutla.

This includes cooperation with the newly established National Peat and Mangrove Management Agency created by President Prabowo Subianto.

"As I mentioned, it's a 'rope analogy', meaning coordination must involve all parties, agencies, and ministries involved," he said.

President Prabowo's Directive

Kristomei revealed that he was instructed by President Prabowo Subianto to promptly resolve the karhutla issues.

"The directive is clear: keep pushing forward and perform well," Kristomei stated after his inauguration at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.

Member of Parliament Hetifah Sjaifudian urged that the handling of karhutla should not rest solely on local governments.

"We cannot let regions fend for themselves against prolonged disasters that require national support," Hetifah told reporters, as cited on Friday (16/10/2026).

She hopes Kristomei will act quickly to address the karhutla affecting many regions.

According to her, the karhutla situation in Kalimantan extends beyond environmental concerns, impacting public health, child safety, education continuity, and economic activities.

Hetifah called on BNPB to enhance central government support for regions impacted by karhutla.

"This includes additional personnel, firefighting equipment, aerial operations such as water bombing and weather modification as needed, as well as swift and targeted budget support," she highlighted.

Meanwhile, senior PKS politician Mulyanto praised President Prabowo's move to change the leadership at BNPB.

He views the transition from Suharyanto to Kristomei as a sign that President Prabowo Subianto is listening to the people's concerns.

"We commend this change as a positive signal that the government hears the public's anxiousness," Mulyanto stated in a press release on Friday (16/10/2026).

He believes that urgent reforms are needed amid various public complaints regarding disaster management and emerging corruption allegations.

He hopes Kristomei can swiftly conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the management of national disaster mitigation, focusing on institutional aspects, human resources, central-local coordination systems, procurement of goods and services, and budget oversight mechanisms.