JAKARTA, Sept 19 — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has welcomed Malaysia’s offer to assist in tackling forest fires in the country, including through the provision of assets and expertise.
He said the offer involved an aircraft, three helicopters and a firefighting team.
He said this after receiving a courtesy call from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the President’s residence in Hambalang, Bogor, on Friday.
“This is an environmental problem that affects many parties and although the fires are in Indonesia, their impact is also felt by our neighbours, so they want to help us and we welcome the assistance,” he said in a video recording uploaded on the social media accounts of Indonesia’s Presidential Secretariat and also shared by Ahmad Zahid on his social media on Saturday.
Prabowo said Indonesia had also received offers of assistance from several other countries, including Japan, to help put out the prolonged forest fires, particularly in Kalimantan.
He said Indonesia was also drawing up comprehensive preventive measures to ensure that the same situation did not recur every few years.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid, who is currently on a four-day visit to Jakarta, conveyed the offer to Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka on Wednesday.
Malaysia’s offer involves a Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters and 52 officers and personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
Prabowo also stressed the importance of maintaining and strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia relations.
He said the meeting also discussed several other matters, including cooperation in the halal industry. — Bernama
