SD Guthrie Berhad (formerly Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad) has denied allegations that its subsidiaries or employees caused forest fires in Indonesia, saying recent inspections found no active fires on its plantations and no evidence linking its operations to reported blazes.
In a statement on Tuesday, the plantation group said several companies linked to it in public reports were not owned, managed or controlled by Guthrie.
It said references based on outdated or inaccurate information should be corrected to avoid confusion, adding that some allegations appeared to rely on old maps of land-use rights (HGU) that did not reflect current ownership or operational boundaries.
Guthrie also rejected claims that oil palm trees in the affected areas were mature and needed to be cleared, saying the trees were still young and productive.
The group said it had enforced a Zero-Burning Policy across its operations since 1985 and maintained its commitment to No Deforestation, No Peat and No Exploitation.
Its preventive measures include real-time water-level monitoring, groundwater monitoring in peat areas, moisture control and community-based fire-prevention programmes. It also provides local smallholders and farmers with training in responsible land management.
Guthrie said it would take immediate action if fires were detected within or near its operational boundaries, regardless of their cause.
Its Indonesian subsidiary, Minamas Plantation, operates 67 firefighting teams comprising 1,005 trained personnel, supported by drones and infrared monitoring covering its plantation concessions and about 322,000 hectares of surrounding community land.
The group said it allocated about 3.5 billion rupiah, or RM800,000, a month to maintain and deploy these resources.
Between January and September, its firefighting teams reportedly tackled 2,411 fires, including 2,376 on community land outside its concessions.
Guthrie said helping to extinguish fires beyond its operational boundaries should not be interpreted as evidence that it caused them.
The company said it would continue working with Indonesian authorities and other stakeholders to address forest and land fires, while urging that allegations against it be supported by credible evidence. - October 20, 2026