REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged newly installed Riau Governor Syamsuar and Deputy Governor Edy Natar Nasution to prevent forest fires in the Sumatran province. Riau shares its borders with Malaysia and Singapore that would lodge protests if a forest fire were to arise, according to the governor.

"We want to uphold the dignity of this country, so there will be no more forest fire in future," Syamsuar remarked after being inaugurated by Jokowi as the new governor of Riau at the State Palace here, Wednesday.

Forest fire produces haze that hinders flight schedules and harms the health of the public, particularly of children, he remarked. Following his inauguration, Syamsuar promised to visit districts and cities in Riau to promote public awareness of the prevention of forest fires.

Reports on hotspots in Riau have been received, but the authorities have managed to deal with them.

Earlier, President Jokowi had installed Syamsuar as governor of Riau Province and Nasution as Riau's deputy governor for the 2019-2024 period at the State Palace, here, Wednesday.

Among high-ranking officials present at the inauguration ceremony were Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, and Chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Zukifli Hasan.

Syamsuar was formerly district head of Siak, Riau Province, for two terms.

During the second round of presidential election debate held in Jakarta on February 17, 2019, Jokowi highlighted that the government had managed to deal with forest fires over the last three years.

Jokowi claimed that his administration had strengthened law enforcement and sanctioned 11 companies involved in forest and land fires in Indonesia. The total sanction amounted to Rp18.3 trillion.

"In terms of law enforcement, we are strict in (the fight against) environmental violations," Jokowi affirmed.

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