KUBU RAYA, thekabarnews.com—Kubu Raya Regent Sujiwo has responded to criticism from a West Kalimantan Legislative Council (DPRD) member. The council member accused him of leaving the regency while forest and land fires were affecting the area.

Regent Sujiwo addressed the allegation in a video published by the Kubu Raya administration. He avoided a confrontational response and said he appreciated the criticism as part of the council’s oversight role.

“Thank you. I pray that he can carry out his duties well,” Sujiwo said.

The publicly accessible caption did not identify the council member or explain precisely when Sujiwo allegedly left Kubu Raya.

Public information reviewed for this report also failed to independently establish the circumstances behind the allegation.

The criticism should therefore be presented as a claim rather than a confirmed account of the regent’s conduct.

Official records show that Sujiwo participated in several wildfire-response activities before the controversy emerged.

On July 15, he joined police, military personnel (TNI), disaster officials and volunteer firefighters during efforts to control peatland fires in Limbung village. The team reported bringing six fire locations under control, according to the Kubu Raya administration.

Sujiwo also attended a wildfire coordination meeting with National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto at Supadio Air Force Base on August 6. The meeting focused on patrols, early detection, ground operations and aerial firefighting across West Kalimantan.

Those documented activities provide relevant context. However, they do not, by themselves, determine Sujiwo’s location during the specific period referenced by his critic.

Kubu Raya remains highly vulnerable because extensive peatlands allow fires to spread below the surface. These fires can continue smoldering after visible flames disappear. This characteristic complicates suppression work and increases the risk of recurring smoke.

The BNPB reported that fires had affected about 28,680 hectares across West Kalimantan by early August. This made the province Indonesia’s most severely affected priority region at the time.

Authorities responded through ground operations, water bombing and weather-modification efforts. BNPB warned that the region would face its highest fire risk during August and September.

BMKG West Kalimantan said limited rain cloud formation could hinder weather modification operations, particularly efforts to wet burning peatlands.

The controversy emphasizes the necessity of clear public reporting on where officials are deployed. It also shows the need for reporting on what decisions they make and how local resources support firefighters.

It also underscores the council’s responsibility to scrutinize the response using verifiable evidence while emergency operations continue.