INDONESIA SERIOUS IN REDUCING FOREST FIRES IN SUMATRA AND KALIMANTAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Indonesia is serious and committed in
reducing forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan to address the crossborder haze
problem and El Nino phenomenon in South-east Asia.

Sumatra World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) deputy director Dr Erwin Widodo
said four Indonesian ministries - Forestry, Public Works, Home Affairs and
Environment were cooperating to control the forest fires.

"We are aware that burning of forest in Sumatra and Kalimantan are happening
annually, causing negative effects on the environment, economy and health of
people in South-east Asia.

"We have managed to reduce forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan by 50
percent," he said at the 3rd Dialogue on Transboundary Haze Pollution here
Monday.

Widodo said to reduce forest fires, Indonesia cooperated with 20
non-governmental organisations (NGO) in Sumatra and 15 NGO in Kalimantan.
--BERNAMA