Polri's Performance in Handling Forest Fires Seen as Earning High Trust from President Prabowo
Legal expert from Padjadjaran University, Romli Atswasmita, assesses that President Prabowo Subianto’s statements regarding forest and land fires (Karhutla) are a clear manifestation of the government’s political commitment to enforcing the law within the environmental sector. He further notes that these statements reflect high levels of trust in the performance of the Chief of National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and his entire force.
Romli asserts that through these firm statements in public forums, President Prabowo is indirectly appreciating the success of the Chief of Police and his subordinates in identifying and bringing companies involved in criminal forest fire activities to legal proceedings. “This is not merely rhetoric, but a strong signal regarding the direction of future government policy concerning the protection of Indonesia’s forests and ecosystems,” Romli stated in a written briefing on Sunday, 20 September 2026.
Romli emphasised that law enforcement always requires support in the form of strong political will from the government. He believes that without clear political will, the work of law enforcement agencies will not be optimal, noting that in practice, law and politics influence each other concretely and significantly.
“Therefore, the President’s statement provides the necessary political foundation for the legal process to proceed without hindrance. Without political will, law enforcement efforts will not be optimal because it is no secret that law and politics influence each other concretely and significantly in the practice of law enforcement,” he continued.
As reported, during a stern statement delivered at the peak of the 28th PAN Anniversary event at the Jakarta Convention Center on Friday, 18 September 2026, President Prabowo Subianto instructed the Chief of National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, not to hesitate in taking action against all parties involved in forest and land fire incidents.
The President emphasised that the supremacy of law in the forestry sector must not be selective. In his address, President Prabowo explicitly cited figures reported by the Chief of Police: 95 corporations are indicated to have violated the law and are held responsible for forest fire incidents that have damaged millions of hectares of Indonesian forests.
The instruction provided was direct and unambiguous: investigations must continue, and once strong evidence is gathered, reports must be submitted directly to the President.