Indonesia haze: why Jakarta won’t declare wildfires a national disaster

Indonesia’s government has resisted mounting calls to declare widespread forest and land fires a national disaster, insisting it can handle the crisis alone as residents report worsening health impacts and disaster experts warn that a broader, coordinated response is needed.

Critics suggest the reluctance may stem from concerns that a national declaration could force Jakarta to redirect funds from other political priorities, while exposing the administration to greater scrutiny over its disaster response.

The dispute intensified on Tuesday – the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration – when student protesters across the country demanded a national disaster declaration, the restoration of damaged ecosystems and action against both the rising cost of living and the perceived erosion of democracy.

A similar demand was included in a class-action lawsuit filed by civil society and indigenous groups in West Kalimantan last month, though the government maintains the fires do not warrant such a designation.

“If a national disaster is declared, there will inevitably be those who exploit the situation. Disaster management is now nationally mandated, no longer the responsibility of regional governments,” Dudung Abdurachman, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, told reporters on Wednesday.