After trying – but failing – to put out the blazes with the help of 20,000 army soldiers, Indonesian President Joko Widodo issued an SOS on Thursday that received immediate offers of help from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, which had previously been rebuffed, as well as commitments from Australia, China, Russian Federation and South Korea.
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A Bombardier CL 415 MP aircraft and an AS 365 N3 Dauphin helicopter have been sent to Sumatra to assist the Indonesian government in putting out the fires that have caused the haze around the region. At least 414 “hotspots” were recorded in Sumatra on Friday, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency (BMKG) agency. He traveled to Kampar in the province by vehicle as the haze was still disrupting fights to Riau’s capital of Pakanbaru.
China has emerged as the latest nation to extend a helping hand to Indonesia, promising to “try its best” to help it put out forest fires raging across Kalimantan and Sumatra. The Indonesian government has reported 135,000 people are now suffering with respiratory illnesses.
Lukman Edy, a legislator of Commission II at the parliament, said the government seemed incapable of dealing with the disaster.
The Commission II in the parliament planned to establish a task force to discuss ways to tackle the haze problem.
Laksamana Madya Datuk Che Hassan Jusoh said the air assets which carried logistical equipment, MMEA and RMAF personnel as well as media representatives were expected to arrive within two hours of departure.
Abdul Rahman said the expertise and experience of the country’s firefighters could not be denied and they would be deployed to Indonesia for as long as necessary.
The video shows fires burning in rainforests, peatlands and oil palm plantations surrounding Gunung Palung.
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Smog from forest fires not only has blanketed large parts of Sumatra but also has covered areas in Singapore and Malaysia. The land clearing was conducted by simply set fire on the trees in the forest.
