W

ith forest and land fires showing no sign of cessation and thus prolonging the agony of thousands, if not millions, of people in Sumatra, Kalimantan as well as neighboring countries, it is natural to expect the state to use all resources at its disposal to protect citizens now, not later.

On Tuesday, haze resulting from the fires reportedly reached its worst level in the Riau capital of Pekanbaru, as local residents woke to visibility reduced to only 50 meters. Outdoor activities were of course not recommended due to health concerns.

'€œOh my God, is it asap [smog] or azab [punishment]?'€ a shopkeeper, Kasnalimar, said as quoted by a local news portal. Whatever the answer, the people should not be bearing the brunt of a disaster they did not start.

In fact, the death toll from the annual haze has hit five since July, while 135,000 people have developed respiratory problems, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). The latest fatality, Muhammad Iqbal Hali, a civil servant at the Riau Religious Affairs Agency in Pekanbaru who suffered from asthma, died after ignoring calls to wear a mask Monday.

One death is too many. The five lives claimed in the environmental disaster are therefore evident of the state'€™s failure to ensure the safety of all citizens. With the calamity expected to drag on at least until next month, the question now is whether the government will prevent more victims from falling and how fast.

People who have not breathed clean air for months have the right to demand speedy measures on the part of the government. So do neighboring countries whose citizens have been made to suffer, although the way our senior government officials, including Vice President Jusuf Kalla, responded to their grievances was far from displaying empathy, let alone culpability.

Efforts to fight the fires have involved 21,000 personnel, including the military and police, but have remained ineffective. The BNPB claimed, however, that its hard work had reduced the number of hot spots, before new hot spots were detected in East Kalimantan and the South Sumatra town of Ogan Komering Ilir on Tuesday.

BNPB chief Willem Rampangilei said the agency was considering a chemical substance invented by an Indonesian scientist working in the US as an option. The method is said to be able to douse fires in one week. The main concern, however, is the huge cost of the chemical.

A responsible government would seek out every path to save its citizens at whatever price, but does not necessarily close the doors to outside assistance, particularly given the fact that the haze has spilled out of Indonesian jurisdiction.

A more responsible government would dare to declare fighting the forest fires a top priority and devote time and energy to quickly address the disaster. If necessary, President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, known for his blusukan (unannounced visits), should run his office in haze-stricken cities to lead the fight against the fires and ensure that the efforts work.