House Member: Forest Fires Ongoing for Three Months, Declare a National Disaster Immediately

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Member of Commission IV of the House of Representatives, Riyono, has urged the government to promptly declare the ongoing forest and land fires (karhutla) as a national disaster, highlighting the urgent need for prioritization in government response.

According to Riyono, the karhutla situation must be addressed immediately to prevent continued disruption to the lives of affected communities.

"Declare karhutla a national disaster and prioritize domestic response until the fires are extinguished and the haze no longer affects the residents' lives," said Riyono in an interview with Kompas.com on Friday (23/10/2026).

Riyono noted that declaring a national disaster is also necessary to enable bilateral cooperation with neighboring countries to tackle the karhutla effectively.

This Politician from the Prosperous Justice Party emphasized that the karhutla occurring in Indonesia has serious repercussions for neighboring citizens.

"For three months, the karhutla has caused significant impacts both domestically and in Malaysia and Singapore, including affecting bilateral relations. This must be resolved swiftly through diplomacy and joint action," Riyono asserted.

Furthermore, he explained that the status of a National Disaster is a prerequisite for smooth coordination and assistance between countries.

Meanwhile, he assessed that escalating discussions to the level of the ASEAN Summit (KTT) is not urgent at this time.

According to Riyono, the main focus should be on executing the bilateral routes more effectively and swiftly.

"Discussions at the ASEAN Summit level are not necessary if bilateral cooperation can materialize quickly," he said.