Indonesia to receive assistance from Malaysia to contain wildfires

JAKARTA - Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto said on Friday that he would receive assistance from Malaysia to help contain forest and land fires that have been raging for weeks.

Malaysia has offered three helicopters, an aircraft and 52 personnel to help put out the wildfires, Prabowo said in a statement after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at his house on the outskirts of Jakarta.

"Malaysia has offered assistance to help us address the forest fires in Kalimantan. I welcome this with gratitude and pleasure," Prabowo said.

The fleet and firefighter teams will arrive in Indonesia soon, said Prabowo, without giving further details.

Indonesia is battling its most intense wildfires in 11 years, and its Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has warned that the wildfires could continue until November this year.

Transboundary haze has also created unhealthy air conditions in Indonesia's neighbors Malaysia and Singapore.

Malaysia's Hamidi has said he would raise the issue during a working visit to Jakarta from September 17 to September 20. — Reuters