Sahroni Supports Classifying Forest Fires as Ecological Terrorism: An Extraordinary Crime
The Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR, Ahmad Sahbaroni, supports President Prabowo Subianto’s intention to categorise forest and land fires (karhutla) as ecological terrorism. Sahroni considers forest fires to be an extraordinary crime.
“I strongly agree with President Prabowo’s firm step to classify perpetrators of forest fires as ecological terrorists. The impact has been very severe, damaging the environment, endangering the public and wildlife, and threatening future generations,” Sahroni stated when contacted on Friday (18/09/2026).
Sahroni emphasised that forest fires are an extraordinary crime, and therefore, the legal penalties must also be extraordinary. He noted that the regulations already exist but need to be strengthened and applied without discrimination.
The Treasurer of the NasDem Party requested that the police do not stop at the perpetrators on the ground. He urged law enforcement to begin ‘following the money’.
“The police must not stop at the field perpetrators; they must follow the money and uncover who ordered, financed, and profited from these actions,” he asserted.
Previously, President Prabowo Subianto pushed for the strengthening of legal sanctions against perpetrators of forest and land burning, including the possibility of classifying such acts as ecological terrorism. Prabowo believes that the issue of forest and land fires has become a serious problem requiring firmer legal measures and regulatory reinforcement.
These directives were delivered by President Prabowo while presiding over a hybrid limited meeting regarding the handling of several disasters across the country at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday (16/09/2026). During the meeting, Prabowo received reports on forest fire management and mitigation steps to face conditions predicted to remain high-risk over the next 1.5 months.
Prabowo requested that the Minister of State Secretary, Prasetyo Hadi, alongside the Minister of Law, Supratman Andi Agtas, delve into the provisions for sanctions against perpetrators of forest and land burning. According to Prabowo, the strengthening of regulations could be achieved through amendments to the law involving the House of Representatives (DPR).
“I am saying that the State Secretary and the Minister of Law should examine this so that the legal sanctions, perhaps through legislation, can be requested from the DPR to be intensified, classifying this as ecological terrorism. This is very serious,” the President said.