August 26, 2026 | 12:33 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has expressed his appreciation for Rudiansyah, a 17-year-old teenager in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, who actively supports forest and land fire control efforts while wearing a red and blue Superman costume.
"Earlier, he (Rudiansyah) said he wanted to be a forest ranger. I am offering him the opportunity to go to college, and I will provide him with a scholarship," the Minister said in Palangka Raya on Wednesday, August 19.
The Minister made the statement while meeting with Rudiansyah, who, dressed in his Superman outfit, was working alongside local residents and emergency personnel to extinguish land fires in the Petuk Katimpun area of Palangka Raya.
The teenager's actions caught the attention of the Forestry Minister, who spoke directly with Rudiansyah during his field inspection after videos of the youth dousing foliage in costume went viral online, garnering millions of views.
The Minister also delivered personal greetings from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to the young volunteer, hailing him as a national icon in the struggle against wildfires that have blanketed parts of Borneo island in thick smog.
"Before heading here, I met with Pak President Prabowo Subianto. Pak Prabowo conveyed his greetings to Rudiansyah. He is an example of an extraordinary young man. He is a superhero, but also a forest hero, a hero who saves our forests," he said.
He explained that Rudiansyah's involvement highlights the crucial role local communities play in managing forest and land fires.
The government, along with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), Manggala Agni, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), and various other institutions, cannot operate effectively without community support.
"Without community participation in tackling forest and land fires, it certainly will not be resolved," he noted.
To the Forestry Minister, Rudiansyah inspires not only through his eye-catching Superman costume, but also his dedication to fire management, a reflection of civic engagement.
As reported by SCMP, Rudiansyah, who wets his outfit before heading out to prevent burning and washes it nightly, has been assisting his father's volunteer firefighting group after school since 2023.
Raja Juli stated that Indonesian society has a tradition of mutual cooperation (gotong royong), which serves as a vital asset when confronting disasters. This spirit remains crucial as local volunteer crews continue to face severe operational challenges, particularly acute water shortages caused by dried-up wells during drought conditions.
During the visit, the Forestry Minister also symbolically handed over fire control equipment to the local community Fire Awareness Group (MPA) led by Rudiyansah's father, Mulyadi, who noted that this year's haze season is the worst the unit has encountered since forming in 2020. The assistance package included a Robin water pump engine, five 1.5-inch hoses, one nozzle, 10 pairs of boots, five sets of firefighting gear, five masks, and 10 pairs of gloves.
This support is expected to bolster the community's capacity to assist in fire management, particularly during initial suppression efforts to prevent blazes from spreading.
Read: Prabowo Targets End to Indonesia's Forest Fires Within Two Weeks
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