Link-AR Urges Government to Investigate Corporations Causing Forest Fires
Pontianak (ANTARA) - Link-AR Borneo is urging the government to evaluate and take action against corporations whose concession areas are indicated as fire locations, amidst the recurring haze disasters in West Kalimantan.
“According to the data we have gathered, the Ministry of Forestry, through SiPongi, recorded 6,526 hotspots in West Kalimantan as of 29 August 2026, making the province one of the areas with the highest number of hotspots nationally,” said Ahmad Syukri, Director of Link-AR Borneo, in Pontianak on Thursday.
However, according to him, the handling of forest and land fires so far has not addressed the root of the problem, particularly the inequality in land ownership and the degradation of forest and peatland areas.
He stated that Link-AR also highlights the impact of the fires, which they believe have disrupted public health, community activities, and the environment, as well as threatening wildlife habitats.
The organisation stated that some hotspots were observed to be within or directly bordering forestry, plantation, and mining concession areas, meaning the government needs to conduct a thorough investigation and evaluation.
“Law enforcement, water bombing, or weather modification will never be enough as long as the root problems—namely land ownership inequality and poor governance—are not rectified,” he said.
They believe that law enforcement in forest and land fire cases must be carried out fairly and should not only target the community or small-scale farmers, but also corporations if there is evidence of violations and responsibility for fires within their concessions.
Link-AR Borneo also requested the government to evaluate the management of palm oil plantation permits, forest utilisation, and mining in West Kalimantan, which are deemed to be linked to changes in forest cover and environmental degradation.
Additionally, the organisation urged the government to restore degraded peat hydrological areas and strengthen forest area protection to reduce the risk of fires during the dry season.
“Regarding the handling of the 2026 disaster, Link-AR Borneo requests the government to consider declaring forest fires and haze disasters as national disasters so that handling and support for affected communities can be maximised,” he said.
The organisation also requested the government to cancel the plan to revoke West Kalimantan Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2022 concerning the Opening of Local Wisdom-Based Swidden Farming Land and to strengthen supervision of community farming practices.
According to Link-AR Borneo, the resolution of forest fire issues must be directed towards improving land governance, fair law enforcement, peatland restoration, and the evaluation of all permit holders whose areas are proven to have experienced fires.