Prabowo reaffirms strict ban on land burning in Indonesia

“Make it clear that land burning is strictly prohibited,” President Prabowo said while chairing a meeting on fire management at the Riau Province Command Post in Pekanbaru on Monday.

In a video released by the Presidential Secretariat, Prabowo urged personnel to educate local communities on the ban and the hazards of slash-and-burn practices, emphasizing that deliberate burning will not be tolerated.

He noted that residents needing to clear land should submit requests to local officials, who will arrange government assistance through organized clearing procedures.

Prabowo added that the military and police should support local authorities in guiding communities.

Under the proposed plan, land clearing can be managed through farmer groups funded by state-subsidized micro-loans (KUR) via local cooperatives.

In addition to banning burning by individuals, the president instructed authorities to take firm action against corporations that order land clearance by fire.

He called on police, prosecutors, and intelligence agencies to investigate suspected corporate involvement, warning that companies found responsible will have their operational permits revoked.

Prabowo also pressed for immediate action on newly detected thermal hotspots before they escalate into full-scale wildfires. He directed officials to dispatch personnel directly to hotspot locations and secure water supplies, including drilling emergency wells.

Prevention and enforcement must work hand in hand, the president stressed, ensuring fire management shifts from reactive firefighting to immediate early intervention.

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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Raka Adji