KUBU RAYA – The Kubu Raya Regency Government, together with members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), religious scholars, military and police personnel, and civil servants, gathered for an Istisqa prayer and collective supplication in the courtyard of the Kubu Raya Regent’s Office on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
The special prayer for rain was held as forest and land fires, haze, and prolonged drought continued to affect several areas of Kubu Raya Regency.
Kubu Raya Regent Sujiwo said the Istisqa prayer was part of the community’s collective efforts to seek relief after various measures had been taken to combat forest and land fires.
He also expressed his appreciation to the religious scholars who attended, led, and participated in the prayer gathering.
“Allah is Almighty. If Allah wills it, rain can fall at any moment. By humbling ourselves, submitting to Him, and praying together, we hope Allah will soon answer our prayers,” Sujiwo said.
According to Sujiwo, rainfall in the preceding days had helped ease the fire situation. Some of the rainfall had also been encouraged through Weather Modification Operations (OMC).
However, he emphasized that such efforts ultimately depend on natural conditions and God’s will.
“Even with weather engineering and modification, rain will not fall unless Allah permits it. By His will, the rain eventually came and helped ease the situation considerably,” he said.
Firefighting Personnel Have Been Battling Blazes for More Than Two Months
Sujiwo stressed that the government and all parties involved in tackling forest and land fires must remain committed to their efforts.
He explained that personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), Manggala Agni forest fire brigades, Community Fire Awareness Groups (Masyarakat Peduli Api), private firefighting volunteers, local government agencies, and other organizations had been working on the ground for more than two months.
“We must not grow weary, especially those of us in government. We cannot give up. It has certainly been exhausting, but our colleagues from the military, police, Manggala Agni, community fire groups, private firefighting volunteers, and everyone working in the field have been battling these fires day and night for more than two months,” he said.
The ongoing fires and drought have also forced the Kubu Raya Regency Government to balance disaster response with its other public service responsibilities.
Sujiwo estimated that approximately 60 percent of his current attention was focused on addressing drought and forest and land fires, while the remaining 40 percent continued to be directed toward development and public services, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, fisheries, and agriculture.
“People have many different needs. But during a disaster like this, we naturally have to devote greater attention to emergency response. We cannot neglect other public concerns, but we must not overlook the forest and land fires either,” he explained.
570,000 Liters of Drinking Water Distributed
In addition to forest and land fires, the prolonged drought has begun affecting water availability for local communities.
Residents in several areas are experiencing difficulties accessing water suitable for daily use. In some locations, available water has become increasingly brackish, while water prices have risen.
In response, the Kubu Raya Regency Government has worked with various organizations to distribute water to affected communities.
By the seventh day of distribution, approximately 570,000 liters of drinking water had been delivered. On the day of the Istisqa prayer, nearly 80,000 additional liters were also distributed.
Sujiwo said preliminary calculations indicated that water supplies remained relatively secure for the next several days. Nevertheless, the government was taking precautionary measures by identifying additional water sources.
“Today, I will go out again to look for more drinking water sources. We have to prepare ourselves in case this situation continues,” he said.
He explained that the distributed water was intended for drinking and food preparation, rather than general household uses such as bathing.
Although the water had undergone treatment, residents were still advised to boil it before drinking.
The Kubu Raya Regency Government has collaborated with several organizations in the distribution effort, including PT Alas Kusuma, the military, police, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and other relevant institutions.
Water tankers provided by the military and police have also been deployed to accelerate deliveries to communities in need.
“This is an extraordinary collaboration. I have been coordinating with the military and police because we need tanker trucks to transport water. Everyone is taking action, from the military and police to the Indonesian Red Cross, government technical units, BPBD, and other organizations,” Sujiwo said.
Residents Urged to Remain Calm
As forest and land fires and drought continue to affect the region, Sujiwo urged residents to remain calm and avoid panic.
He emphasized that responding to the disaster requires collective action and public support to ensure that ongoing efforts can be carried out effectively.
“As the preacher reminded us, patience is the most important thing in a situation like this. This is not the time to blame or criticize one another. The government, together with the military, police, and private sector, has been making every possible effort,” he said.
Sujiwo assured residents that the regional government, military, police, and all relevant stakeholders would continue addressing forest and land fires, drought, and water shortages.
“We must remain calm and not panic. Please trust that we, together with the military, police, and all other parties, will continue doing everything we can, day and night. We ask all residents of Kubu Raya Regency to pray that Allah will soon send rain to help us through this difficult situation,” he concluded.
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