Legislator Urges Forestry Ministry to Tighten Corporate Oversight to Prevent Forest Fires

Members of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR) have highlighted a surge in hotspots during the first half of 2026 and are urging the Ministry of Forestry to strengthen efforts to prevent forest and land fires, including tightening oversight of companies managing fire-prone areas. During a working meeting with the Ministry of Forestry, Commission IV member Teuku Abdul Khalid questioned the cause of the sharp increase in hotspots from January to 15 June 2026, which rose by approximately 205 per cent compared to the same period last year. “We see that the number of hotspots from January to 15 June 2026 increased sharply, reaching 205 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. We want to know the cause and what mitigation measures the government has taken,” Teuku said on Tuesday (14/7). He also requested that the Ministry of Forestry pay special attention to strengthening the Manggala Agni fire brigade in Aceh. According to him, firefighting personnel for the Aceh region are currently deployed from North Sumatra, resulting in longer response times. “Do not wait until after a fire breaks out to send people from Medan. By the time they arrive, the fire may be out, but the damage has already been done. We ask that Manggala Agni in Aceh, especially the western region, be optimised,” he said. Echoing this sentiment, Commission IV member from the PDI-Perjuangan faction, Sonny Danaparamita, urged the Ministry of Forestry not to rely solely on administrative sanctions against companies whose land is burned, but to push for stricter law enforcement. He argued that the increasing number of hotspots requires active corporate involvement in fire prevention and suppression, particularly through the readiness of firefighting facilities and infrastructure. “We experience that a hotspot is not necessarily a fire spot. But when the numbers are high, Manggala Agni will certainly not be able to reach all of them,” Sonny said. He assessed that many companies possess firefighting equipment merely to fulfil administrative requirements, but do not actually use it when needed. “The company’s equipment is only to meet the requirements. It is purchased, it exists, but after years it still looks new, indicating it has never been used,” he stated. Therefore, Sonny asked the Ministry of Forestry to use this condition as a basis to increase supervision of companies while strengthening rule enforcement. “Do not rely on administrative sanctions alone. As much as possible, regulations should be arranged to protect our forests from fires,” he stressed.