Indonesia Faces ASEAN Lawsuit Over Forest Fires, Gerindra Claims Government Continues Handling Efforts

Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam have agreed to bring the issue of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia to the ASEAN mechanism during the 27th Malaysia-Brunei Annual Leaders' Consultation in Bandar Seri Begawan on Saturday, August 22. This action stems from the fires in Kalimantan penetrating their territories and even reaching the Philippines. Responding to this, Gerindra Party spokesman Bahtra Banong emphasized that the Indonesian government remains focused on handling the forest fire issue, even amidst other disaster responses such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. "Yes, as the Gerindra Party, because we are in a disaster situation. The government will certainly continue to handle the karhutla that is happening everywhere," Bahtra stated at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 8. He further elaborated that the President is directly involved, conducting coordination meetings in karhutla-affected areas and through Zoom. The Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR also mentioned that the government continues to coordinate with regional governments, especially those identified as prone to karhutla. Regarding President Prabowo Subianto's potential official apology to Malaysia and Brunei, Bahtra believes the government must have already taken diplomatic steps. "Yes, of course, with all neighboring countries, we with Malaysia, with Singapore or others, our relationship is good with neighboring countries," he said. "So when it comes to relations, of course the President continues to build good relations with neighboring countries," Bahtra added. This development highlights the ongoing transboundary haze issue, which has historically strained relations between Indonesia and its neighbors, necessitating robust and coordinated efforts to mitigate future occurrences.