Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto convened 22 experts to address peatland fires, vowing to establish a new agency after recent criticism of researchers, as wildfires devastate Kalimantan and Sumatra.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has initiated a high-stakes pivot toward scientific collaboration to combat recurring peatland fires, following public backlash over his recent jabs at researchers. On September 24, 2026, he hosted a meeting with 22 experts from academic and research institutions, where he sought guidance on fire management strategies and peatland use. The discussion, recorded and shared publicly, marked a shift from his earlier dismissive rhetoric about critics, including his September 18 remark that experts are so smart that they become idiots.
A New Agency, Old Tensions
The meeting concluded with Prabowo agreeing to establish a new peatland and mangrove management agency, tasked with assuming the roles of the dissolved Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM), which was disbanded in April 2025. Indratmo Soekarno, a water resource engineering expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), highlighted the BRGM’s blueprint for peatland management as a potential template for the new body. However, the move has drawn skepticism from environmental groups and academics, who argue that the government has long ignored scientific data on peatland degradation.
Various data from environmental experts have long shown that peatland clearing is a major cause of land fires, which should have been something the Prabowo administration had addressed from the beginning,
said Herdiansyah Hamzah, a law expert from Mulawarman University in East Kalimantan, who did not attend the meeting. He criticized the government’s “gimmick” approach, citing the BRGM’s dissolution as proof of systemic disregard for scientific input.
A Crisis in Kalimantan and Sumatra
The consultation comes as Indonesia grapples with wildfires across Kalimantan and Sumatra. Peatland fires, exacerbated by decades of land clearing and drainage, are particularly challenging to extinguish due to their subterranean nature. The government has deployed patrols to prevent fires, but environmentalists blame systemic neglect for the worsening crisis.
On September 17, indigenous and civil society groups in West Kalimantan filed a lawsuit against Prabowo and his government, accusing them of deliberate negligence
for failing to mitigate fires that have paralyzed the province. The legal action adds pressure to the president’s efforts to reconcile with the scientific community, even as he emphasizes his utmost respect for experts.
The Road Ahead
Environmental groups remain skeptical, pointing to the BRGM’s dissolution as a precedent for the government’s inconsistent approach. The lawsuit in West Kalimantan highlights the increasing legal and social pressure on Prabowo’s administration. As the new agency takes shape, its ability to translate expert recommendations into actionable policy will determine whether this latest outreach marks a turning point or another fleeting gesture.
The meeting’s outcomes, including the proposed agency’s structure and funding, remain under scrutiny.