INDONESIA is pursuing criminal investigations involving 125 companies and individuals suspected of involvement in forest and land fires, while imposing administrative sanctions on 32 companies over fires affecting 12,926.74 hectares across seven provinces.
Of the 125 entities under investigation, 44 cases remain at the preliminary investigation stage and 79 have progressed to formal investigations, Antara News quoted Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry director-general Dwi Januanto Nugroho saying in a recent statement.
Twelve individuals and one company have been formally named as suspects, while two corporate entities have reached the P-22 stage, involving the formal transfer of suspects and evidence to prosecutors.
Separately, administrative action has been taken against 32 companies, including the suspension of 19 permits, restoration orders covering burned land and the revocation of five permits.
The 19 companies whose permits were suspended have been ordered to restore forest ecosystems across 9,546.42 hectares of burned land.
Another eight entities must undertake ecosystem restoration covering 2,211.19 hectares, while the permits of the remaining five companies have been revoked.
West Kalimantan accounted for nine of the companies sanctioned: PT MRU, PT WE, PT HKI, PT MPM, PT MPK, PT DAS, PT WSP, PT FI and PT WLJ.
The remaining companies comprised two in Jambi, five in South Sumatra, five in South Kalimantan, seven in Central Kalimantan, three in East Kalimantan and one in North Kalimantan.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia activists staged a protest at the Welcome Statue at Jakarta's Hotel Indonesia Roundabout on Tuesday, demanding government action on the worsening climate crisis and rising cost of living.
The demonstration coincided with the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto's inauguration. - October 21, 2026