Indonesia names 20 companies as forest fire suspects in crackdown on haze culprits — SkimNews
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- Indonesian police named 20 companies as suspects in the 2026 forest and land fires—four foreign-owned and 16 Indonesian-owned—from a pool of 97 companies under criminal investigation; the 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law sets fines from 3 billion to 15 billion rupiah.
- Asep Safrudin disclosed at an Oct. 29 briefing that Singapore-linked companies formed the largest foreign-backed group—nine of 22—followed by Malaysia with eight, Britain with two, and China, Japan and South Korea with one each.
- Indonesian police asked authorities to revoke the permits of 23 companies, citing repeated fires, ignitions inside concessions, inadequate firefighting equipment and fires spreading across more than 500 hectares.
- Prabowo ordered police and prosecutors on Oct. 21 to pursue individuals and corporations over the fires, calling them a “crime against humanity” and likening them to “environmental terrorism.”
- National Environment Agency issued legal notices to 10 Indonesian companies requiring documents and information on their links to the fires, and executives from the firms met K. Shanmugam on Oct. 28; police have not confirmed whether the four foreign-owned suspects are included.
- Singapore Exchange separately asked seven Singapore-listed agricultural companies about their operations and any links to the fires.
- Indonesian police filed 287 additional reports covering about 5,860 hectares and named 245 individual suspects, most accused of deliberate or negligent burning to clear land; the 1999 Forestry Law provides jail terms of up to 15 years.
Why it matters: Indonesia’s enforcement already covers 97 investigated companies and 23 requests to revoke permits, with fines of 3 billion to 15 billion rupiah, while 245 individuals face sentences of up to 15 years. Singapore separately requires documents from 10 Indonesian firms and has asked seven listed companies; the 10 firms’ overlap with the four foreign-owned suspects remains unconfirmed.
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