While Papua Burns

Disclaimer

This satirical piece is inspired by media reports concerning wildfires and land fires in parts of Papua in late October 2026. According to reports citing the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), approximately 2,393 hectares of land were reported as burned across several regions of Papua on 28 October 2026, with dozens of hotspots detected. By 30 October 2026, South Papua had become one of the priority areas for wildfire response efforts. Figures relating to burnt areas, hotspot counts, affected locations, and ongoing mitigation efforts may change as field reports are verified and updated. 

Papua is burning!

Not as a metaphor. Not as the title of a political soap opera. Nor as a dramatic phrase invented by social media after an especially long evening online. This time there are real flames. Hotspots have been detected, smoke has risen into the sky, firefighters are battling the blaze, aircraft have been deployed, weather-modification operations have been conducted, and in remote areas the struggle to fight the fires is proving considerably more difficult than issuing a press statement. 

But do not worry. This republic possesses an extraordinary ability. Whenever fire appears in a forest, we are capable of producing meetings faster than rain.

Firefighters see flames. Satellites see hotspots. The BNPB sees data. The media sees headlines. Meanwhile, some netizens see opportunity. An opportunity to become instant experts. In the morning they are meteorologists. By lunchtime they are forestry specialists. In the evening they become public policy analysts. Tomorrow they may well be astronomers. It all depends on what happens to be trending.

Then come the inevitable questions: Who is to blame? Who was negligent? Who must be held accountable?

Perfectly reasonable questions.

For in this country, finding a culprit is often considerably quicker than finding a solution. The fire may not yet be extinguished, but the scapegoat is usually available before the first embers have cooled.

According to reports, several wildfire locations are difficult to reach. Ironically, places that are difficult for emergency crews to access are often remarkably easy for opinions to reach. People who have never seen the fire site can explain everything. People who are nowhere near the scene can conclude everything. And someone who has read only a single headline can somehow produce thirteen paragraphs of certainty. Remarkably efficient, really. Even fire requires fuel. Conclusions apparently do not. 

The haze has even disrupted air travel in parts of Papua. This leads one to an interesting observation: smoke can limit a pilot's visibility, yet it appears entirely incapable of limiting the reach of public commentary. Airports may experience delays. Flights may be cancelled. Yet the comments section remains open twenty-four hours a day, without interruption and without maintenance. 

Then comes our most enduring national ritual: concern.

"We are concerned."

"Deeply concerned."

"Extremely concerned."

Concern appears to be one of the nation's most abundant renewable resources. It never runs out. It is unaffected by drought. And unlike fire suppression efforts, it requires no weather-modification programme.

Yet concern itself is not what does the hard work.

The people doing the hard work are those in the field. The men and women confronting heat, smoke, difficult terrain, and genuine risk. They are the ones entering places that even vehicles struggle to reach. They are the ones facing the real fire. Meanwhile, some of us are facing only a mobile phone battery stuck at five per cent. 

Here is the darker joke: At least fire is honest. It does not pretend to be a solution. It does not claim to be a saviour. It does not organise a press conference. It does not publish a twenty-page thread. It simply burns, openly and unapologetically.

Human beings, on the other hand, can be much more complicated. We can make problems appear to be solutions and solutions appear to be threats. We can transform discussion into performance and performance into policy.

So when you hear the phrase"Papua is burning", do not ask only,"Who is to blame?" Ask as well,"Who is fighting the fire?""Who is bearing the consequences?" And perhaps most importantly,"Once all the arguments have ended, will the fire have gone out as well?"

Because satellites can count hotspots. The BNPB can calculate the number of hectares affected. Yet no technology has ever been invented that can accurately measure how much national energy is spent arguing compared with solving the problem itself. 

And perhaps that is the real hotspot.

Final Note
This satire comments on social behaviour, bureaucracy, media culture, and public reactions to a real-world event. It is not intended to diminish the seriousness of the disaster or the experiences of those affected by it. Readers seeking the latest information should refer to updates from BNPB, regional disaster agencies, meteorological authorities, and other relevant institutions, as wildfire conditions, hotspot counts, affected areas, and mitigation efforts may change from day to day as the situation develops.

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Thank You - Thank You - Thank You

An Open Letter in Reply to Mr Patrick Liew

To the Honourable Mr Patrick Liew, Entrepreneur, Investor, and Author of Southeast Asia’s Most Cheerfully Ironic Open Letter,

Thank you.

Thank you sincerely—not sarcastically, as in your letter. Thank you for showing us that a reduction of 31 MMSCFD from a total of 409.5 MMSCFD—roughly 8 per cent—can be transformed so swiftly into a geopolitical tragedy, a universal moral lesson, and an existential threat to Southeast Asian commerce.

We are impressed. Not everyone can turn a modest figure into a grand oration. That is a talent. 

On Your “Thank You”

You opened your letter with “thank you,” closed it with “thank you,” and scattered enough “thank yous” in between to make readers suspect that the phrase was not a courtesy but a weapon.

We admire the literary technique. Still, allow us to use the same style:

Thank you, Mr Patrick, for reminding us that sarcasm can be written at length, while facts remain rather short.

The Indonesian Government has stated that the reduction remains above the contractual minimum threshold of approximately 91–92 MMSCFD. The reduction itself is only 31 MMSCFD. So, before the world becomes “wary of doing business with Indonesia,” perhaps the world should first become more wary of reading contract annexes. 

On “A Bad Example of Leadership”

You said President Prabowo had shown the world how a government should not be run. We understand. From Singapore, everything may appear delightfully straightforward: there is gas, send gas; there is a contract, read the contract; there is criticism, write an open letter.

But in Indonesia, the government has a slightly different set of chores: keeping the lights on and industries running in Batam, Bintan and Sumatra; ensuring that citizens do not run short of energy; and managing facilities that occasionally require maintenance—not because they wish to needle a neighbour, but because pipelines and plants are not magical objects that never grow tired.

So perhaps the better example of leadership is not “never reduce exports,” but rather: prioritise one’s own people when supply is constrained, provided one still honours the contract.

On “Reputational Suicide”

You described Indonesia’s action as “reputational suicide.” We were almost shaken. Almost.

Then we looked at the figures supplied by Singapore itself: the Energy Market Authority said the total reduction amounted to 17 BBTUD over 18 days, or less than 2 per cent of Singapore’s daily gas demand.

So, if less than 2 per cent of gas demand can cause “reputational suicide,” we fear Singapore’s reputation must be extraordinarily fragile. Or, more politely: perhaps the phrase “reputational suicide” should be reviewed by your communications consultants.

On Covid-19 Assistance

You reminded us of Singapore’s assistance to Indonesia during the pandemic. We appreciate it, truly. Medical aid, vaccines and coordination during a crisis are memories that should not be forgotten.

But allow us to explain one simple point: humanitarian assistance is not a gas-subscription coupon.

If every past act of goodwill must be repaid with unlimited energy supplies, the world will become an exhausting place. Every country will keep receipts, record debts of gratitude, and later demand payment in kilowatts, cubic metres, or supermarket discounts.

Friendship should indeed be preserved. But healthy friendship does not require one party to keep exporting gas while its own people need electricity.

On “The World Will Be Wary”

You wrote that this episode has taught the world to be wiser and more cautious when doing business with Indonesia. We agree. The world should indeed be wise and cautious.

Cautious when reading contracts. Wise when calculating percentages. And exceptionally cautious when someone describes an 8 per cent reduction as a national catastrophe, while Singapore itself says the impact is less than 2 per cent of its daily gas demand.cnbcindonesia+1

If this is what is meant by “waking up the world,” then the world must have been sleeping very soundly. 

On “An Unreliable Country”

You implied that Indonesia is an unreliable partner. We understand the concern, but we would also like to remind you: a reliable country does not necessarily mean a country that must keep exporting gas until its own homes go dark.

Indonesia is still supplying the overwhelming majority of its contracted volumes. Of 409.5 MMSCFD, only 31 MMSCFD has been reduced. The remainder remains far above the contractual minimum.kompas+2

Therefore, if we may summarise this in business language, you will appreciate: this is not a default, not a breach of contract, and not necessarily reputational suicide. It is closer to a contract-compliant supply adjustment, accompanied by communication that may indeed need improvement.

One Thing We Acknowledge

We shall not defend everything blindly. One point in your letter deserves a serious answer: communication.

If a trading partner feels surprised, the government should explain more quickly: how long the adjustment will last, what the technical reasons are, when supply will be restored, and what contractual mechanisms apply. Singapore itself has noted that its gas importer may pursue contractual remedies.

That is not a sign that the world should fear Indonesia. It is a sign that commercial relations must be managed with data, contracts and communication—not merely with open letters full of “thank yous.”

So, Mr Patrick, once again: thank you.

Thank you for reminding us that international criticism is sometimes written faster than the contract figures are read. Thank you for showing that a small percentage of gas demand can become thousands of words. And thank you for allowing us to write a reply longer than strictly necessary.

We continue to respect Singapore as a neighbour, partner and friend. We remain committed to contracts, cooperation and a mutually beneficial relationship.

But we would like to close with one simple message:

Gas may be reduced temporarily. Contracts must still be honoured. But hasty conclusions? Those are the one export Indonesia would rather not send.

Thank you for your open letter. In return—politely, and with rather more rhyme—please accept these modest verses from Indonesia.

At dawn the birds drift toward the cloud,

A gentle breeze runs by the stream;

Thank you for words so clear and loud,

Though facts may differ from the theme.

From Natuna’s fields the gas flows far,

Across the sea to a neighbouring shore;

A small reduction is no war,

So long as contracts stand as before.

Four hundred and nine flow through the line,

Thirty-one alone are set aside;

Do not rush to fault or malign,

First read the limits both sides abide.

A pipeline needs its time to mend,

A plant may pause and take its rest;

The aim was never to offend,

But keep the home front safely blessed.

The lamps still glow in our own land,

Our industries continue on;

To guard one’s people is a command,

While honouring agreements not withdrawn.

The Covid aid shall not be lost,

It lives in memory and in prayer;

Yet kindness is not chains, whatever the cost,

Nor grounds to claim what is not there.

Two per cent of a nation’s need,

Became a storm that shook the earth;

Sarcasm is a lovely breed,

But numbers speak with greater worth.

An open letter sounds refined,

With “thank you” echoed time anew;

Yet wisdom asks a calmer mind:

Read every clause before you construe.

A neighbour dear we still esteem,

Through trade and trust our ties remain;

Gas may be adjusted, as it may seem,

So long as goodwill does not wane.

The bird returns to nest at night,

The sunset fades beyond the west;

Warm greetings from the archipelago’s light—

May reason guide us, and differences rest.

Yours respectfully,

Indonesians who believe that reading a contract is also part of diplomacy

The figures and claims in this letter refer to Indonesian government statements and Singaporean energy-authority remarks: total piped exports of 409.5 MMSCFD, a reduction of 31 MMSCFD or about 8 per cent, a contractual minimum of roughly 91–92 MMSCFD, and an impact on Singapore of less than 2 per cent of daily gas demand over 18 days.

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