Prabowo vows to expose firms behind Indonesia's worsening wildfire haze
President Prabowo announced investigations into companies he says are responsible for the extensive wildfires and haze affecting Indonesia and neighboring countries.
Satellite analysis by Nusantara Atlas shows more than 1.9 million hectares burned in the nine months to September, creating haze that has spread to Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor. In a cabinet meeting, President Prabowo blamed “many corporations” for the crisis and said he would reveal the companies involved, though he gave no names. He has ordered the police, attorney general’s office, forestry ministry, armed forces and intelligence agencies to investigate, emphasizing that deliberate fire-setting constitutes environmental terrorism and a crime against humanity.
Prabowo pledged to cancel licences of any firms found violating the law. The fires are linked to slash-and-burn land clearing, drained peatlands and an El Niño-driven drought, while public anger grows and neighboring leaders offer assistance without direct criticism.
Why it matters
The haze threatens health and economies across Southeast Asia, and the government's response could reshape corporate practices and regional relations.
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