72 Forest Fire Suspects Named, Deputy Speaker Supports Firm Action Against Main Perpetrators
Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal has expressed appreciation for the government after the National Police named 72 suspects in forest and land fire cases in several regions. Cucun called for firm action against the main perpetrators responsible for the forest fires.
“We appreciate the government’s firmness, not tolerating it, because from year to year the forest and land fire problem, as has been stated, there are indications of who played the initial role in the forest fires,” Cucun said at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (24/8/2026).
Cucun supports the government in creating a deterrent effect for forest burners. He highlighted the negative impacts that must be borne by the Indonesian public as well as neighbouring countries.
“We support the government in truly enforcing the law so that there is a deterrent effect, so that there are no more groups wanting to instantly burn forests, whose victims are everyone, communities on one island can be affected, and our relations with other countries become strained,” he said.
The deputy chairman of the National Awakening Party hopes that law enforcement in Indonesia will be impartial. He also highlighted the instruction from Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian regarding the prohibition on clearing land by burning.
“The point is, whoever did it and for whatever reason, we support the government in enforcing the law, whoever the cause is,” Cucun said.
“It is good if that is the case (the Home Affairs Minister’s instruction). We anticipate the worst things, Mr Tito’s directive must also be followed by regional governments,” he added.
Previously, 72 people had been named as suspects in forest and land fires in Indonesia. The suspects are responsible for forest and land fires that occurred in Kalimantan, South Sumatra, and Riau.
Director of Specific Crimes at the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency Brigadier General Irhamni said there were 89 police reports related to forest and land fires spread across nine regional police forces. The National Police then provided assistance to ensure the investigation and inquiry processes ran optimally.
The dozens of police reports were spread across the Riau Regional Police, West Kalimantan Regional Police, South Sumatra Regional Police, Jambi Regional Police, Central Kalimantan Regional Police, South Kalimantan Regional Police, East Kalimantan Regional Police, Aceh Regional Police, and North Kalimantan Regional Police.
“These nine regional police forces have carried out investigation and inquiry processes with a total of 72 individual suspects named. The investigation and inquiry processes were carried out at fire points in the field after hotspots were previously detected, then checked and it turned out that fires had indeed occurred,” said Brigadier General Irhamni.