"The government will assist micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) affected by haze from forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said here on Tuesday.
Thick haze caused by forest and land fires has disrupted schools and businesses in various regions.
With regard to the handling of forest fires, the Vice President said the peatlands should be restored so that they function as these were intended to in natural course of things to prevent forest fires from occurring in the future.
"Thousands of people have suffered from health problems because of the haze," he said.
The Vice President emphasized that the government continues to make efforts to solve the haze crisis.
The government has instructed the police to firmly enforce the law against the perpetrators behind these forest fires.
"The companies responsible for setting off illegal forest fires that caused haze will be fined," he said.
The Chairman of the Association of Indigenous Indonesian Entrepreneurs (HIPPI), Suryani Sidik Motik, urged the government to assist micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) affected by the thick smoke.
"It seems that all sectors have been handled by the government. I hope the government disburses loans to small entrepreneurs properly," he said.
The establishment of a House of Representatives (DPR) Special Committee (Pansus) to investigate the haze problem currently affecting Indonesia will help the government and the law enforcers, according to the Houses deputy chairman.
"The committee has the authority to investigate and summon the related parties. This can help the government and the law enforcers," Agus Hermanto, the deputy chairman of the DPR, said.
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.
"The issue, it seems, still remains unsettled. It is believed that the government is not yet serious (in handling the haze problem). This became evident as the government appeared to be making serious efforts only in the last few days. Therefore, a suggestion has been put forth that it would be better to establish a special committee on haze," he explained.
Agus, therefore, called on the government to again declare forest and land fires as a national disaster, so that the forest and land fires would be handled in an integrated manner on a nationwide basis.
He said handling haze must be given priority, including the lawsuits to be filed against suspected arsonists so that these could serve as a deterrent.
"Legal investigation must be conducted till those responsible for the forest crimes are put behind bars," Agus emphasized.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
