One Company Named Suspect in West Kalimantan Forest Fires, Another Under Investigation
One company has been named a corporate suspect in connection with forest and land fires in Mempawah Regency, West Kalimantan. Meanwhile, another company is being investigated by law enforcement as the suspected cause of forest and land fires in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan.
Investigations that initially stemmed from hotspot findings have developed to reveal alleged forest encroachment and corporate involvement. In West Kalimantan, inquiries are being conducted into suspected encroachment in Mempawah Regency and the Sungai Tengar-Pesaguan Production Forest area in Ketapang Regency.
Director of Forestry Crime Enforcement Rudianto Saragih Napitu said investigators are not only pursuing hotspots but also tracing the activities behind the emergence of fires and damage to forest areas. “We do not stop at hotspots. Investigators trace how the fire occurred, who controls and uses the area, who carried it out, and who benefited,” Rudianto said in a statement on Tuesday (25/8).
The case in Mempawah began with a hotspot report that was followed up by officers through the collection of materials and information. Field investigations then uncovered suspected forest encroachment. He said officers found the construction of a road approximately 3 kilometres long and about 6 metres wide.
After examining witnesses and experts, processing the crime scene, and holding a case conference with the Police Civil Servant Investigator Supervisory Coordination and the Attorney General’s Office, investigators named PT MAP as a corporate suspect on 14 August 2026. “The legal process against the corporation is still ongoing based on the evidence collected by investigators,” Rudianto stressed.
A similar investigation is being conducted in the Sungai Tengar-Pesaguan Production Forest area in Ketapang Regency. The location is within the PBPH area of PT IPB. Rudianto said that in the investigation into suspected forest encroachment, officers found a number of indications of activity within the area.
Among the findings were oil palm seedlings and buildings inside the forest area. Investigators are still examining witnesses and experts and pursuing field findings to determine the responsible party. “The case in Ketapang is still in the investigation stage and no suspect has been named,” Rudianto said.
In addition to Kalimantan, Rudianto also outlined the progress of forest and land fire investigations in Sumatra. The Ministry of Forestry has uncovered a forest and land fire case in the PBPH area of PT TN in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra. The fire at that location reached approximately 16.98 hectares. The corporation has been named a suspect.
The case file was then declared complete, or P-21, on 18 August 2026, moving the case to the next stage in the criminal justice process. Meanwhile, in the Bukit Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve in Kampar Regency, Riau, investigators have named three suspects in a case involving the clearing of forest area by burning for oil palm planting.
“In this case, investigators also found alleged land transactions within the forest area,” he revealed. Rudianto stressed that handling forest and land fires must look beyond the fire location itself. According to him, investigators will trace who controls the area, who carried out activities at the site, and who is suspected of benefiting from those activities.
“In Rimbang Baling, alleged forest area transactions and land clearing for oil palm were found. In Mempawah, a hotspot report developed into an encroachment case with a corporate suspect,” he said.
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto Nugroho said fire suppression and law enforcement must go hand in hand. He stressed that not all violations automatically lead to criminal charges. Administrative sanctions can be applied to non-compliance, while civil instruments can also be pursued where there are grounds and losses that must be accounted for.
“Permit holders have the right to run their business, but they have an obligation to maintain their area and prevent fires,” he said.