How local elections could ruin Asian Games in Palembang

Riau and South Sumatra were the most affected by recent forest and land fires on Sumatra. This year, the two provinces and some municipalities and regencies within them are set to elect new leaders. The problem is that law enforcement against the people responsible for forest fires will be compromised during regional elections, said Herry Purnomo, a Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) scientist. This was the conclusion he made based on a study he conducted with fellow CIFOR researchers in 2015.

"Regional leaders tend to ease law enforcement against perpetrators who happen to be their constituents in order to secure votes in the election," said Herry, who is also a professor at the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB).

The study found that the occurrence of major forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, two islands rich with peat swamp forests prone to fire, during the 2000-2015 period, had coincided with regional elections in the two areas. "This is my foremost worry," Herry said, referring to the potential for lax control over those who start fires during ahead of and during the regional elections. In general, people have become more knowledgeable about fire prevention, especially by not clearing land for agricultural purposes by setting fire to it. Smallholders have begun complying with regulations, while big companies have started to meet their sustainability obligations as they fear having their business permits revoked. However, Herry said the stern approach had less of an influence on another group of culprits: middle-scale farmers, who can be found across Sumatra, including in South Sumatra.