Jakarta, Oct 28 (Antara) - Though it will not interfere in the House's affairs, the government thinks that there is no need for the lawmakers to establish a special committee to investigate the haze problem being faced by the country.
"There is no need to indulge in polemics about the establishment of a special committee on haze," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Until Tuesday, October 27, eight of the 10 factions in the House of Representatives (DPR) had agreed to a proposal to set up a special committee to investigate the handling of forest and land fire-triggered haze which has, of late, shrouded three quarters of the country as well as neighboring nations such as Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
The eight factions are the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Democratic Party (PD), the United Development Party (PPP), the Golkar Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB).
Two other factions, the National Democratic Party (NasDem) and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), have yet to take a stance on the debate to establish a special committee on haze.
Chairman of the House Commission IV on forestry and plantation affairs of DPR Edhy Prabowo said the objective of the special committee is to encourage the government to overcome the haze problem.
Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who is in charge as the coordinator of the country's handling of forest and land fires, said the rhetoric about the DPR's plan to form a special committee on haze should not be raised in a hurry.
"Let's stop the polemics for the time being while we are making our efforts. We can overcome it, and it is a matter of humanity. We can take along our politician colleagues to see the conditions in the field," Luhut said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Setya Novanto observed the handling of forest fires and haze in Jambi province on Wednesday, and said these could soon be overcome.
"After hearing explanations from Jambi Acting Governor Imran, who is in charge of the forest fires task force, I am confident that the problem of fires and haze could be solved immediately," Novanto noted in a written statement released here on Wednesday.
The House Speaker was accompanying Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan during a field monitoring visit in Jambi.
Luhut said all related ministries have been making efforts in an integrated fashion to overcome the forest and land fires as well as the haze problem.
"The Social Affairs Minister, the Health Minister and the Research, Technology and High Education Minister have all collaborated under the Minister of Home Affairs. The program has been running well, managing ways to evacuate the children who suffered from upper track respiratory infections," said Luhut.
He said he monitored the situation on the ground to study the handling of haze in Jambi, Palembang (South Suamtra) and Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan), as planned by the government.
"There has been an increasing progress and forest fires and haze have been starting to disappear. Equipment was being sent even today to the affected areas. The regional government heads have also given good feedback," he said.
Even though Luhut suggested that the polemics on the establishment of a special haze committee should be stopped, yet the government would not interfere with the DPR's plan.
Minister/State Secretary Pratikno indicated on Wednesday that the government will not interfere with the discourse on the establishment of the special House committee on haze.
The government, the minister said, will only focus its efforts on putting out forest and land fires and overcoming the impact of haze.
"We are giving priority to the handling of the problems. The special committee has been initiated by and is the affair of the DPR," noted Pratikno here on Wednesday.
He was also reluctant to comment on the potential of the haze issue being politicized as a result of the action of the House of Representatives. Pratikno only stressed that the government was waiting for the House's decision with regard to the special committee discourse.
Actually, according to Agus Hermanto, the deputy chairman of the DPR, the establishment of a House of Representatives (DPR) Special Committee (Pansus) to investigate the haze problem currently affecting Indonesia can help the government and law enforcers.
"The committee has the authority to investigate and summon the related parties. This can help the government and law enforcers," Agus Hermanto said on Tuesday.
He remarked that so far, the House Working Committee (Panja) on haze formed by the DPR had offered several recommendations to the government on efforts to tackle the haze problem.
"This seems to still remain unsettled. It is believed that the government is not yet serious (in handling the haze problem). This has become evident as the government appeared to be making serious efforts only in the last several days. Therefore, a suggestion has been put forth that it would be better to establish a special committee on haze," he explained.
Earlier, several legislators had suggested that the status of the Haze Working Committee be raised to a Special Committee on Haze to monitor the handling of haze, forest, and land fire problems.
The government continues to make efforts to tackle the haze problem. President Joko Widodo, who was on a visit in the United States, even cancelled his plan to visit San Francisco. Widodo who was earlier scheduled to visit San Francisco on October 27-28, 2015, returned home earlier to monitor the condition of haze and its handling in several provinces.
Therefore, Agus Hermanto called on the government to declare forest and land fires as a national disaster, so that the handling of forest and land fires would be carried out in an integrated manner on a nationwide basis.
He said the handling of haze must be given priority, including the lawsuits to be filed against suspected arsonists, so that it would have a deterrent effect.
"Legal investigation must be conducted until those responsible for the forest crimes are put behind bars," Agus emphasized.
According to Sutan Adil Hendra, a member of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party faction, the haze problem has not been addressed comprehensively by the government.
The vice chairman of Gerindra's Board of Trustees affirmed that firm legal action should be taken against parties found responsible for these fires.
He also noted that the personnel deployed to extinguish forest and land fires were not provided sufficient equipment.
"The government must declare forest fires as a national disaster, and the DPR should establish a special committee to handle the haze problem," he affirmed.
By declaring haze a national disaster, all stakeholders and the community would be able to work jointly to tackle forest and land fires in Indonesia. "In addition, the budget can be disbursed easily," he added.***4***
(A014/INE/B003)EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 28-10-2015 20:01:5 |
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