Activists Confident Police Will Take Firm Action Against Forest Fire Perpetrators
National activist and founder of Kontra Narasi, Sandri Rumanama, has expressed his confidence that President Prabowo Subianto’s instructions regarding the prosecution of forest and land fire (karhutla) perpetrators will be professionally executed by the Indonesian National Police (Polri).
According to Sandri, the President’s firmness in demanding investigations into suspected intentional land clearing must be followed by law enforcement against parties proven to be responsible. “I am sure and believe that they will certainly be dealt with,” Sandri stated in a statement cited on Saturday, 12 September 2026.
Sandri noted that the government, alongside law enforcement agencies, is currently tightening enforcement against perpetrators of forest fires, including both individuals and corporations. He mentioned that, based on data obtained, the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) of the National Police has recorded 72 individual suspects from 89 reports handled across nine regional police departments (Polda) in fire-prone areas.
According to Sandri, the handling of several recent cases also demonstrates legal action being taken against individuals suspected of involvement in forest fires. He cited the handling of a suspect with the initials MF in Baluran National Park, as well as four suspects in Siak, Riau.
Sandri believes these steps show that the President’s instructions regarding the management of forest fires have been followed up by the police. “The President’s stance is very firm, and the National Police are promptly executing the President’s instructions,” he said.
Sandri expressed his appreciation for the National Police’s performance in handling forest and land fires. In his view, efforts to manage forest fires should not only focus on extinguishing flames; law enforcement against parties intentionally conducting burning is also a vital part of preventing similar incidents from recurring.
He assessed that the National Police Chief’s directives need to be translated into steps that encompass both on-the-ground fire management and investigations into the causes of the fires. This is particularly important if the fires are suspected to be linked to land clearing activities for plantation interests.
Attention to the suspected involvement of corporations in forest fire cases is also part of President Prabante’s directives. The President has requested an in-depth investigation into indications of intentional land clearing for plantations following the occurrence of fires. Furthermore, the government has been asked to uncover the parties or corporations suspected of being behind the emergence of new palm oil plantations in areas previously affected by forest fires.