Smog in Indonesia has brought a lot of harms in various aspects like economy, public facilities, health, and education. The sufferers themselves are individuals, public, private institutions, and government. Law regarding the issue should be established like distinguishing doers and victims. This nation must protect the individuals suffering because of the smog impacts apart from whether or not the forest fires have been determined as a national disaster. Following up crime, public and government need to guard to investigate and arrest the criminals. The statements were conveyed by Dewi Nurul Musjtari, S.H., M.Hum., a Law expert of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) in a discussion on Friday (30/10).
Public assumed that the criminals of forest fires will not be penalized if the issue turns into a national disaster. However, it should be noticed and sorted from the law aspect for the criminals. If they break the law, it will be proven in the court with public witness. “Public role in beginning and being witness is essential for law enforcers. Public witness will display who involved in the forest fires,” she maintained.
Dewi inserted that public was not supposed to be frightened to report the issue to the authorities, and to reinforce the public report needs advocacy of public institutions caring of the issue. “Public should not be terrified to assist government to cope with the forest fires since the circumstance causes harms. If the law is established, it will bring a deterrent effect. The crime is considered as environmental destruction,” she argued.
Dewi asserted that local and central government ought to control licensing and land clearing of companies or public through burning land. “Local and central government is lack of control of licensing. They have to consider and analyze the impacts on environment. If the control works, the fire forests might not occur,” she ended.