JOKOWI SHORTENS US VISIT DUE TO HAZE CRISIS

Photo: Antara News

Jakarta, 15 Muharram 1436/28 October 2015 (MINA) – The President of Republic Indonesia Joko Widodo has shortened his visit to US due to haze crisis, in which he will hold a meeting with disaster control team in Palembang on Thursday.

“The president is expected tomorrow morning to arrived in Palembang,” the Secretary of Cabinet Pramono Anung told reporters in Jakarta, Wednesday (28/10).

Pramono said Palembang was selected as the location of the President’s temporary office because presidential aircraft Boeing Business Jet 2 could land in the city.

Earlier, Jokowi was scheduled to carry out a state visit in the US for one week. He departed to the US on Saturday, when haze problems from land and forest fires in Indonesia were at their peak. Jokowi’s working visit drew sharp criticism, forcing the President to shorten his trip. He cancelled his plan to visit Silicon Valley, San Francisco, to meet digital economy business players.

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Head of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV overseeing agriculture, food, forestry, plantations, fisheries and maritime affairs, Edhy Prabowo, said separately that eight House factions had agreed to establish a Pansus (committee) to inquire into the nation’s handling of smoke from land and forest fires in several areas across Indonesia.

“Eight factions have agreed on the establishment of the committee. Only NasDem and Hanura have not yet made a decision,” said Edhy.

The eight factions are from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Gerindra Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Democratic Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Edhy said the Pansus establishment was aimed at primarily pushing the government to immediately resolve the haze problem instead of chasing after the companies deemed responsible for the fires.(L/P008/R04)

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