President Prabowo Consults Experts on Peatland Management and Forest Fire Prevention

President Prabowo Forms National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency

President Prabowo Subianto agreed to establish the National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN) following discussions with university researchers at the Merdeka Palace, according to reporting by Kompas.tv. Unlike agencies tied to individual ministries, the new body will operate directly under the president’s office to coordinate fire prevention and land rehabilitation efforts.

The institutional restructuring follows a series of three core questions Prabowo posed to the assembled experts regarding regulatory loopholes, fire prevention strategies, and the commercial viability of peatlands. The president criticized existing district-level regulations that allow individuals to burn up to two hectares of land. According to transcripts released by the Sekretariat Presiden, Prabowo called the two-hectare burn allowance complete nonsense and mandated strict regulatory corrections.

Academic Experts Convene at Merdeka Palace

The high-level discussion brought together researchers and professors from domestic and international institutions to provide empirical guidance on peatland management and forest fire (karhutla) mitigation.

Other participating specialists included Azwar Maas from Gadjah Mada University, Zakaria Amsari from Tanjungpura University, Haris Gunawan from the University of Riau, Darmae ​​Nasir and Henrik Segah from the University of Palangka Raya, Asmari Saad from the University of Jambi, Puji Lestari from ITB, Made Hesti Lestari from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bambang Kun Cahyono from Gadjah Mada University, Ati Dwi Nurhayati from IPB University, Muhammad Agung Santoso from the University of Indonesia, and Elham Sumarga from ITB.

Prabowo Clarifies Stance on Academic Expertise

Opening the session, President Prabowo addressed public commentary regarding his relationship with the academic community, explicitly rejecting claims that he undervalues scholarly input. As reported by Kompas.tv, the president stated that his military career’s success relied on consulting subject-matter specialists. Prabowo emphasized that his administration requires scientific solutions to tackle annual peatland fires.

Addressing corporate compliance, Prabowo noted that existing rules mandate companies operating on concession lands to maintain firefighting equipment, water reservoirs (embung), and observation towers every five hectares. He stated that enforcement agencies will crack down on non-compliant firms while working alongside academics to evaluate whether degraded peat areas can safely support productive crops without increasing fire risks.