Indonesia launches legal and administrative actions against firms and individuals over forest fires

Indonesia has begun legal proceedings against a large number of individuals and firms linked to recent forest and land fires, according to a statement from its embassy in Malaysia. Police reports have named 198 suspects, and another 97 reports involve corporate actors. The Environment Ministry has pinpointed 57 business entities across eight provinces, with significant burned areas recorded within their concessions.

Meanwhile, the Forestry Ministry has taken administrative action against 26 entities, revoking five licences, suspending thirteen, and issuing warnings or restoration orders to eight others. Criminal cases are being pursued against 46 subjects, with 17 at the preliminary inquiry stage and 27 under formal investigation, covering five corporations and 22 individuals. The government is also scaling up fire-prevention efforts, including peatland rewetting, promotion of no-burn practices, formation of Fire Awareness Community Groups, and preparation of contingency plans for Kalimantan. Monitoring systems have detected hundreds of hotspots, and rapid response teams have extinguished about 75% of the targeted fire area.