MP urges tougher penalties for those responsible for forest and land fires
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Alex Indra Lukman, deputy chair of Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR), has urged tougher penalties for those proven to be involved in forest and land fires (karhutla).
He called on forestry civil servant investigators not to hesitate to take action against the 125 legal entities identified as perpetrators, whether corporations or individuals. He said the penalties should go beyond administrative sanctions.
“Reports have revealed that some corporations are suspected of repeatedly causing forest and land fires. These corporations should, in principle, face cumulative charges and the maximum enhanced penalties, together with additional criminal sanctions involving the confiscation of their economic gains,” Alex said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.
He urged the Forestry Ministry to coordinate with the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) to take action against corporations suspected of repeated involvement in fires.
He said that law enforcement over forest and land fires required inter-agency coordination. Effective coordination would help ensure investigations were more thorough, swift and comprehensive.
“The exposure of corporations suspected of triggering these fires will be a test of whether our law enforcement agencies are truly working in step,” said the lawmaker responsible for forestry affairs.
Bareskrim previously said investigators had named 20 corporations as suspects in forest and land fire cases. Four were foreign-investment companies and the other 16 were domestic firms.
Meanwhile, the Forestry Ministry has imposed administrative sanctions on 32 companies whose affected areas total 12,926.74 hectares.
Of these, 19 companies were ordered to suspend operations and restore forest ecosystems; eight were ordered to restore forest ecosystems; and five had their permits revoked.
The Forestry Ministry has also said that, of the 125 legal entities identified as perpetrators, 44 are under preliminary investigation, 79 are under formal investigation, and two corporations are at the stage of transferring suspects and evidence to prosecutors (P-22).