Sahroni Supports Criminal Prosecution of Environmental Polluting Corporations: Normalising Ecological Destruction as a Serious Crime

Jakarta, VIVA – The Riau Police have named PT Musim Mas as a corporate suspect in a case of alleged environmental damage caused by palm oil cultivation on the banks of the Air Hitam River, a tributary of the Nilo. The case emerged after a report from the Indonesia Environment Care Association (APLI) Riau regarding a palm oil plantation planted only 2–5 metres from the riverbank. Riau Police Chief, Inspector General Herry Heryawan, stressed that the force will firmly act against environmental destroyers, whether individuals or corporations. The firm stance of the Riau Police against environmental offenders has also drawn support from Ahmad Sahroni, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives’ Commission III. Sahroni said he believed that communities would be affected by such acts of environmental damage. “I fully support the steps taken by the Riau Police. It is high time we normalise viewing ecological damage as a serious crime that harms the state,” Sahroni said in a written statement from Jakarta on Friday, 22 May 2026. Not only would ecological damage cause losses to the state in the event of disasters, Sahroni noted that environmental polluters can also harm the public. “They lose family members, homes, livestock, farmland, and even their dwellings, which will require substantial compensation. This is the most heinous of crimes,” Sahroni said. Furthermore, Sahroni urged law enforcement agencies to continue applying a pro‑environment logic in carrying out their duties. “We are not yet talking about damage to ecosystems such as forests and wildlife; that too is a major loss for our future generations. Hence, I urge the authorities to keep enforcing laws with a pro‑environment stance like this, as I am confident that the issue of environmental destruction is faced by all regional police forces across the country,” Sahroni said.