As haze chokes South-east Asia, Indonesia’s army throws everything at forest fires

Pangandaran, September 17 - As haze from Indonesia's forest fires spreads to Malaysia and Singapore, the Indonesian military is employing all available resources to combat the crisis. President Prabowo Subianto has taken direct charge of coordinating the response, pushing the military to act swiftly and effectively. General Maruli Simanjuntak, the Army chief-of-staff, explained that the president has repeatedly led efforts directly, urging the military to move more effectively to address the haze and ensure irrigation and water supplies are available.

The army has drilled over 400 water points specifically to tackle forest and land fires, as part of a broader clean-water infrastructure push. Previously, progress was slow, as the army struggled to secure funding for water projects. However, with the president's full support, the military is now deploying thousands of soldiers to villages, discouraging slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that contribute to the annual haze crisis. The president has also promised firm enforcement against those who start fires.

Indonesian helicopters are being used aggressively for weather modification, including cloud-seeding operations aimed at inducing rainfall over fire-affected areas. The military's growing presence on the ground has raised concerns from non-governmental groups, but Simanjuntak dismissed these worries, stating that the deployment is an extension of the army's core purpose rather than a distraction from it.

Indonesia remains a highly-regarded military force, with 21 countries interested in conducting joint exercises with the country, even participating in its civic mission programs.