Indonesian police name 11 corporate suspects in forest and land fire cases

Indonesian police have named 11 corporations as suspects in forest and land fire cases, including three foreign-invested companies, as the government steps up enforcement against businesses suspected of involvement in fires that have affected communities across the country.

National Police Chief Suyudi Ario Seto announced the development on Wednesday, 21 October, after attending a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

“We have named 11 corporate suspects, three of which are foreign-invested companies,” Suyudi told reporters.

He declined to identify the companies, saying further details would be announced later. He also said investigators had encountered no obstacles in handling the cases.

The announcement followed the National Police Criminal Investigation Department’s decision to upgrade 98 police reports involving corporations suspected of involvement in forest and land fires to the investigation stage.

The cases form part of a wider government effort to strengthen legal action against companies suspected of causing or contributing to fires, which have damaged forests and land in Indonesia and contributed to haze in parts of Southeast Asia.

Police investigate 98 corporate fire cases

Suyudi said on 19 October that investigators were still collecting evidence before formally naming suspects. At that stage, he said, the Criminal Investigation Department had advanced 98 police reports concerning suspected corporate involvement in forest and land fires to the investigation stage.

Investigators were examining the evidence to establish which parties could be held legally responsible, he said.

The identification of 11 corporate suspects two days later marked a further step in the investigations. Police have not yet disclosed the identities of the companies or provided a detailed breakdown of the allegations against each one.

Indonesian authorities distinguish between companies that are under investigation and those formally named as suspects. The designation does not constitute a conviction, and the cases remain subject to the legal process.

The three foreign-invested companies are located in Kalimantan, according to Indonesian media reports quoting Suyudi. Police have not disclosed the countries from which the investment originates.

Owners and shareholders could also face legal action

Suyudi said legal responsibility could extend beyond the companies themselves to individuals who were found to be responsible for the fires.

Those potentially subject to investigation include company owners and shareholders who bear responsibility for the corporations involved, he said.

“That includes both company owners and shareholders responsible for the corporations involved in forest and land fires in Indonesia,” Suyudi said in comments reported by the Indonesian National Police and state news agency ANTARA.

Any action against individuals would depend on the evidence gathered and their respective roles in the alleged offences.

The police chief did not specify whether investigators had already named individual company executives or shareholders as suspects in the 11 cases.

Forestry Ministry suspends permits for six more companies

The police announcement coincided with a separate enforcement measure by the Ministry of Forestry.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said on 21 October that the ministry had suspended the permits of six additional companies in Central Kalimantan in connection with forest and land fires. The companies were also ordered to undertake environmental restoration measures.

Raja Juli said the six companies brought the total number of businesses facing administrative sanctions from the ministry to 32.

The six companies named by the ministry were PT Hasil Kalimantan Jaya, PT Taiyong Engreen, PT Hutan Produksi Lestari, PT Ramang Agro Lestari, PT Puspa Warna Cemerlang and PT Sinergi Hutan Sejati.

According to figures reported by Indonesian media, the six companies collectively held concessions covering 201,391 hectares, of which 7,531 hectares had been affected by fire.

Across all 32 companies sanctioned by the ministry, the total concession area was 1,931,115 hectares, with 18,489 hectares reported as burned.

The administrative sanctions are separate from the criminal investigations conducted by the police. A suspension of a forestry permit does not, by itself, establish criminal liability.

Government intensifies response to forest fires

Forest and land fires remain a recurring environmental problem in Indonesia, particularly during dry periods when vegetation and peatlands can become highly vulnerable to burning.

The fires can cause extensive damage to forests, threaten nearby communities and generate smoke that reduces air quality. Smoke from Indonesian fires has also affected neighbouring countries, including Singapore and Malaysia.

The government has faced pressure to strengthen prevention, improve firefighting and hold companies accountable where evidence establishes their involvement in illegal burning or other offences.

The police investigations and the Forestry Ministry’s permit suspensions represent separate strands of that enforcement effort: one focused on potential criminal liability and the other on administrative measures and environmental restoration.

President Prabowo Subianto has called for firm action against companies responsible for forest and land fires. Suyudi said corporate enforcement was among the issues addressed during the plenary cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The government has not yet published the names of the 11 corporate suspects or announced when the police will disclose further details.

Further disclosures expected as investigations continue

Police have said investigators are continuing to examine the 98 corporate-related reports and gather evidence to determine who may be held accountable.

The immediate outstanding questions include the identities of the 11 companies, the specific allegations in each case and whether further companies or individuals will be named as suspects.

Suyudi said police would provide additional information later. He maintained that investigators faced no obstacles in handling the cases.

The investigations are continuing, and the companies concerned have not been convicted of the alleged offences.