Hanura Urges Firm Sanctions for Forest Fire Perpetrators: Harming the Nation and Other Countries

The Deputy Chairman of the Hanura Party, Patrice Rio Capella, is urging President Prabowo Subianto to take firm action against the perpetrators of forest and land fires (karhutla) occurring in several regions of Indonesia. The President must impose strict sanctions on those responsible for the fires.

Rio believes that forest and land fires have become an annual affliction, frequently occurring between August and October. He therefore hopes that the problem can be anticipated earlier.

“Forest and land fires occur almost every year, whether large or small. This should be anticipated by regional governments, the public, and the central government,” he said after leading a Consolidation and Technical Meeting of the Hanura DPP Task Force Team at the DPC level across Central Kalimantan Province at the M Bahalap Hotel in Palangkaraya on Monday, 24 August 2026.

For information, the Consolidation and Technical Meeting of the Hanura DPP Task Force Team was also attended by Task Force Secretary Hanurani Prajanto, Task Force Treasurer Indah Sri Rezeki, and two Task Force members, Yossie Indra Pramana and Ratna Ester Lumban Tobing. The event was also attended by the Chairman of the Hanura Central Kalimantan Regional Leadership Council (DPD), Heriadi, along with the DPD board and Hanura Branch Leadership Councils (DPC) across Central Kalimantan Province.

The Chairman of the Hanura DPP Task Force Team expressed concern that forest and land fires in Indonesia often have an impact on neighbouring countries. Indeed, smoke from the fires has caused a number of schools in Malaysia to be closed.

“Besides being a national issue, 15 schools in Malaysia were closed due to smoke from forest and land fires. In my view, if this continues to happen, it could reflect Indonesia’s image abroad,” he explained.

For this reason, Rio is asking the government to take more serious preventive measures so that forest and land fires no longer become an annual problem. He also urged the public to help protect the environment and to refrain from burning that could potentially trigger fires.

“If the cause comes from forestry companies, the President must impose harsh sanctions on the perpetrators of forest and land fires. If they did it and it is proven to be for corporate interests, they deserve firm action,” he declared.

Furthermore, Rio identified a number of factors that trigger forest and land fires, ranging from dry season conditions to deliberate burning to clear or open up land.