PRIME NEWS POST 

The INDONESIAN (Kalimantan) — Paduka Yang Mulia (PYM) Panglima Gong Pendy Runca, Pangeran Mas Senopati of  Pkalimantan and Guardian of Customary Rights & Communities within the Majelis Adat Indonesia (MAI / Indonesian Customary Council), has voiced deep appreciation for President Prabowo Subianto’s swift, decisive and co‑ordinated response to ongoing forest‑and‑land fires (karhutla) across parts of Kalimantan — notably West and Central Kalimantan.

For PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca, President Prabowo’s decision to go beyond receiving reports and instead travel directly to Kalimantan, lead on‑site briefings, assess conditions first‑hand and unify efforts from central and local governments, the Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) stands as an example of state leadership truly responsive to environmental crises and public safety.

“We — from the Customary Rights & Communities Assembly under MAI — extend our highest recognition to President Prabowo Subianto. When fires strike directly at people’s lives, nature and customary lands, the President’s presence proves the State stands with them and will never leave communities to face disaster alone,” PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca stated.

Holding meetings in West Kalimantan before moving to Central Kalimantan underscores that these blazes are a national challenge requiring cross‑sector and cross‑border co‑operation, he said. Crucially, land‑forest fires cannot be reduced simply to putting out flames; impacts ripple across health, safety, livelihoods, transport, air quality, ecosystem integrity and the very existence of indigenous territories.

 The State Must Defend Forests and Indigenous Peoples

As Guardian of Customary Rights Institutions and Communities at MAI, PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca stressed that safeguarding Kalimantan’s forests and lands carries strategic weight — these areas are not merely ecological assets but the foundation of customary social life, culture and living space.

Solutions must therefore be balanced: accelerate suppression, strengthen prevention, support affected communities and enforce laws firmly against wrongdoing.

“Forests are more than timber or land. For indigenous peoples they are life itself — a source of sustenance, ancestral legacy and trust held for generations yet to come. Protecting forests means protecting who we are and our future,” he affirmed.

He also praised President Prabowo’s directives to fully mobilise and reinforce every resource needed — including helicopters, water pumps, ground‑air operations and logistical support. Speeding up equipment and personnel deployments is vital because Kalimantan’s unique terrain — especially peatlands — demands specialised approaches far beyond standard fire‑fighting methods.

His Highness commended further the decision to scale up response operations through unified command linking TNI, Polri, national and local governments and all stakeholders. Deploying additional troops from outside Kalimantan, boosting ground units, adding water‑bombing aircraft, advancing weather‑modification efforts and supplying peat‑zone pumps and water‑drilling gear demonstrate serious resolve to gain control swiftly.

*“Fire respects no boundaries — it stops for no district or province line. Strong co‑ordination and unified command are essential. President Prabowo’s push to strengthen both air and ground capacity is exactly the right call,” PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca remarked.

Every presidential instruction must filter consistently down to the lowest levels so outcomes are real action on the ground — not only papers and meetings, he urged.

Beyond response and prevention, he strongly endorsed the President’s pledge that any enterprise found clearing land illegitimately by fire will face full legal consequences. Robust enforcement is indispensable to stopping repeat crises. “We stand fully behind this firmness. Should investigations prove corporations started or allowed fires to spread, they must answer legally — no exceptions. Communities suffer smoke and ruined environments; those responsible must not walk away unpunished,” he insisted.

That said, enforcement must uphold fairness and protect local and indigenous livelihoods. Families who have managed lands for generations need guidance, practical help and safe alternatives that do not harm nature. “Rules should never be just ‘stop doing this’. The State owes people better ways forward — tools and techniques so they can farm and prosper without burning or destroying their surroundings,” he added. Such balance honours law, nature, public needs and ancient customary rights alike.

## MAI Urges Prevention Rooted in Local Wisdom

Speaking also in his MAI capacity, PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca called for indigenous communities to be active partners in fire prevention systems. They possess generational knowledge of terrain, weather rhythms, soil types, water sources and ecological shifts — an immense asset for early warning and risk reduction.

“Indigenous peoples must not only be victims or bystanders when disaster strikes; they are key to solutions. Their wisdom, maps of the land and guardianship ethic ought to form pillars of our national defence against fires,” he explained.

Governments should build genuine alliances around this — including joint patrols of high‑risk areas, environmental education, water‑source management and stopping risky land‑clearing practices before they ignite crises.

The President’s decision to inspect operations in person sends a clear signal: environmental health and community safety are top national priorities. His visible leadership also lifts morale among civil servants, security forces, firefighters, volunteers and residents working tirelessly on frontlines. “Leading means not only giving orders — it means ensuring they are delivered. President Prabowo demonstrates this by listening directly, seeing reality and marshalling the nation’s strength so needs are actually met,” he noted.

This momentum should permanently lift national preparedness — not only when smoke rises. Authorities must invest earlier in monitoring, expand patrols and equipment, deepen inter‑agency links and guarantee consistent legal accountability everywhere it is due.

## Commitment from MAI Customary Rights Assembly

As part of Majelis Adat Indonesia, PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca reaffirmed the Customary Rights & Communities Assembly stands ready to mobilise indigenous networks nationwide in stewarding nature and shared living spaces. He invited all sectors — businesses, local governments, security agencies, elders and residents — to unite in protecting forests and lands.

“We salute President Prabowo for acting fast and bravely. Through indigenous eyes: to care for forests is to uphold life; to guard nature is to secure our children’s future; and to see justice done is to keep faith with all people,” PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca concluded.

PYM Panglima Gong Pendy Runca — Pangeran Mas Senopati of Kalimantan
Guardian of Customary Rights & Communities Assembly — Majelis Adat Indonesia (MAI)

Reported from various media sources //photo from Google documents // contribution by Prime News Post international online media // news.paper