Indonesia Police Investigating 223 Individuals & 9 Firms Over Forest Fires

According to Kompas, Senior Commissioner Pipit Subiyanto of the Indonesian National Police's Directorate of Certain Crimes shared the figures during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday, 14 October.

Police are currently handling 98 reports involving alleged criminal offences related to forest and land fires involving corporations.

"Currently, we have identified a total of nine suspects. Seven are from West Kalimantan, one from Central Kalimantan, and one from South Kalimantan," Pipit said.

The cases are being handled by 10 regional police departments and the agency's Directorate of Certain Crimes, with a combined burned area of 25,600.26 hectares.

Pipit said the companies operate in the oil palm plantation sector, but authorities have yet to confirm whether the alleged offences involved burning land to clear it for agricultural use.

As of 13 October, Pipit said authorities had recorded 273 police reports involving individuals, with the fires affecting a combined area of 5,157.89 hectares.

He added that the suspects face multiple criminal charges carrying a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.

Pipit hopes the enforcement efforts will discourage people from using fire to clear land, a practice some consider as easy and inexpensive.

"This should serve as a reminder to members of the public who still believe that clearing land by burning is cheap, easy, and effective. That mindset must be eliminated," he said.