Jakarta, Aug. 31 -- Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has called on the public and businessmen to assist in addressing the forest and land fires (Karhutla) in several regions.

He said that all parties need to work together, do gotong royong, to handle these, including by mobilizing their available resources. Therefore, according to him, resolving the issue depends on the stakeholders' role.

"I have informed business owners who possess heavy equipment and water-bombing helicopters to provide assistance to BNPB (the National Disaster Management Agency)," he said after a meeting with Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday.

Separately, he noted that the budget c...