JAKARTA – Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Puan Maharani has urged the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and law enforcement agencies to thoroughly and transparently investigate the forest and land fire (karhutla) crisis. Following this directive, police investigators have officially named 20 corporations as criminal suspects in connection with the fires, four of which are foreign direct investment (FDI) companies.
Corporate Accountability and Legal Transparency
The House of Representatives emphasized that legal actions against forest fires must not focus solely on field workers, but must hold corporate concession holders accountable. Transparency throughout the investigation—from disclosing the identities of suspect companies to imposing strict penalties—is vital to restoring public trust and creating a strong deterrent effect.
Polri’s decision to prosecute 20 business entities, including foreign-invested firms, sets an important precedent in environmental law enforcement. Beyond criminal charges, corporations found negligent or deliberately engaged in land burning face administrative sanctions, including the suspension or revocation of their business licenses, as well as mandatory financial compensation for peatland restoration.
Deterrence and Concession Oversight Reform
The recurring haze disaster every dry season highlights persistent weaknesses in monitoring whether concession holders maintain adequate fire prevention infrastructure. Bringing corporate entities to justice must be paired with comprehensive environmental audits across all fire-prone concession areas.
Consistent and uncompromising law enforcement remains the primary defense to ensure that every permit holder takes full responsibility for the safety of surrounding ecosystems and the health of local communities.
Photo cover: Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Puan Maharani (DPR.go.id)
Lilisatya Wati/Putra Kusuma
