Anticipating Swift Action from the New Head of BNPB

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The public is eagerly awaiting swift action from the newly appointed Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General Kristomei Sianturi, as he leads efforts to combat forest and land fires (karhutla) following his inauguration last week.

In response to this, Kristomei took immediate action by inspecting the effectiveness of fire suppression operations in South Sumatra on Sunday (18/10/2026).

"Today, we move forward to lead the response to karhutla in South Sumatra and other affected areas," Kristomei stated in a press release on Sunday (18/10/2026).

This initiative marks Kristomei's first operational activity since his appointment as the Head of BNPB on Thursday (15/10/2026).

During this activity, Kristomei was also scheduled to lead a coordination meeting with the Regional Task Force, the South Sumatra Provincial Government, the military and police (TNI-Polri), and the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).

Key topics discussed in the meeting included monitoring hotspots, assessing the effectiveness of firefighting efforts via land and air, as well as strengthening inter-agency coordination in priority response areas.

Kristomei assured that support for combating karhutla would be tailored to the needs on the ground.

This support could range from technology, personnel, task forces, to weather modification operations.

"If an area needs assistance—whether technology, task forces, weather modification operations (OMC), or other specialized handling—it must be prepared and coordinated optimally," he elaborated.

Kristomei is also scheduled to inspect karhutla locations in Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI), South Sumatra, using a patrol helicopter.

Road inspections are also planned in the Talang Jambi area.

According to him, on-site checks are essential to understand current conditions and determine necessary emergency response measures.

"The team departing today will directly assess the situation in the field, ensure cross-sector coordination is in place, and take immediate actions needed for emergency handling in South Sumatra," he stated.

Targeting Immediate Action

Kristomei emphasized that BNPB would manage the karhutla response as quickly as possible, given the many residents affected.

"The target is as soon as possible. We cannot wait, as people are already affected, so action must be taken immediately," said Kristomei during an interview at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday.

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.