Indonesian President Prabowo Defends Nation Against Criticism Over Regional Wildfire Crisis
President Prabowo vows to expose corporations behind Indonesia's wildfires after regional neighbors express concern over toxic haze and air pollution.
POLICY WIRE — Jakarta, Indonesia — President Prabowo issued a sharp rebuke on Wednesday, October 21, against nations he claims have insulted Indonesia regarding the massive wildfires currently ravaging the country.
The blazes have decimated over 1.9 million hectares of land in the first nine months of the year, according to satellite data from the independent monitor Nusantara Atlas. This destruction has triggered a severe environmental crisis, with toxic haze pushing air pollution to hazardous levels across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Timor-Leste.
The regional bloc ASEAN has been forced to convene an emergency meeting to address the escalating situation. While neighboring leaders have largely avoided direct diplomatic confrontation, a Malaysian lawmaker recently suggested that Indonesia should be treated as a regional outcast due to the ongoing crisis.
During a Cabinet meeting, Prabowo stated, As for certain countries that like to insult the Indonesian nation, when the time comes, we will reveal the companies involved. He asserted that many corporations bear responsibility for the fires, though he declined to identify specific companies or nationalities.
The president emphasized that Indonesia is a patient nation but warned that it will not tolerate constant insults. He has ordered a comprehensive investigation involving the police, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Forestry, the Armed Forces, and intelligence services.
Experts attribute the fires primarily to slash-and-burn land-clearing techniques that destroy fire-resistant forests and peatlands, a situation exacerbated this year by severe drought linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon. Prabowo insisted the fires were not purely natural, labeling the deliberate setting of blazes as environmental terrorism.
Describing the intentional fires as a crime against humanity that threatens the health of millions, the president promised strict repercussions. He vowed that once evidence is gathered, the government will revoke the licenses of any companies found to be in violation of the law.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
