DPD Speaker Urges Law Enforcement to Take Firm Action Against Forest Fire Perpetrators

The Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia, Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, is urging law enforcement agencies to investigate and take firm action against parties responsible for forest and land fires (Karhutla) in several regions.

He stated that the government must act decisively and systematically in controlling the current Karhutla cases, including by strengthening prevention measures and law enforcement against perpetrators of forest and land burning.

“We are deeply concerned about the Karhutla incidents that are threatening social and economic stability in several regions at present. Ecological crime must be brought to an end through a preventive approach and firm law enforcement,” Sultan said in his statement on Tuesday (25/8/2026).

Furthermore, the Chairman of the Sriwijaya Trustees revealed that the Karhutla currently occurring in several areas is also influenced by extreme weather conditions resulting from the El Niño phenomenon and the impacts of climate change.

“In addition to the deliberate actions of irresponsible parties, rising global temperatures and increasingly dry weather conditions are also increasing the risk of Karhutla spreading. Therefore, an adaptation and mitigation approach is needed in the sustainable use of forests and land, particularly peatlands,” he asserted.

Sultan also explained that Karhutla has serious impacts, both on public health and on long-term ecological damage. The impact of fire smoke can also spread to neighbouring countries.

“Karhutla smoke has spread to neighbouring countries. Nevertheless, we appreciate the Government, which has made serious efforts to extinguish the flames using various measures and available resources,” he concluded.

It is known that the South Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumsel) is strengthening its handling of Karhutla through law enforcement measures against parties suspected of being responsible for the fires. As of August 2026, Polda Sumsel and its resort police units have handled 16 police reports with an affected area of approximately 34.8 hectares and have named 20 people as suspects, all of whom have been detained.