Prabowo Issues Ultimatum to Corporations Behind Forest Fires: 'This Has Gone Too Far'

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed his administration to take firm action, including revoking permits, against corporations responsible for forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia. During a limited cabinet meeting on natural disaster handling, Prabowo stated, "If necessary, we will immediately revoke all permits, including HGU (right to use land), and so on. This has gone too far, and I truly want to know who these corporations actually belong to," he said on Monday (7/9). The President said the list of these companies would be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), and the Task Force for Handling Forest and Land Fires (Satgas PKH) for permit revocation. He emphasized that revoking permits would be a fitting punishment, as their actions have exceeded all limits. Prabowo also requested the National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, to immediately submit the list of 8 corporations currently being processed in Karhutla cases, including those still under investigation after their permits were revoked or frozen. "I ask for the names of the corporations, both the 8 and the 18, to be conveyed to me immediately," Prabowo stated. The President also expressed surprise at the emergence of new palm oil plantations shortly after fires had occurred. "I am interested in the areas that were immediately converted into plantations in a very short time after the fires. So, this is truly intentional, and I ask for continuous investigation into whether this is by the people or by corporations," he said, suggesting that intentional burning for land clearing was likely. Meanwhile, National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo confirmed that 8 companies are currently being processed in relation to Karhutla cases in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Listyo stated that a total of 200 police reports related to Karhutla are being processed, with 138 perpetrators identified as suspects. Of these, 119 intentionally set fires for land clearing, while 18 were found to have caused fires through negligence. In a separate statement, Listyo mentioned that the government is also suspending permits for forest and land burning by local communities, often referred to as "local wisdom." "Furthermore, there is an instruction from the President that because we are now entering an extreme El Niño long dry season, the application of forest burning under local wisdom is not being applied or is being abolished," Listyo said after a meeting in Jakarta on Monday (7/9). Listyo also stated that any individuals violating this prohibition could face sanctions ranging from criminal, civil, to administrative penalties. He added that his officers, along with TNI soldiers, are directly on the ground educating the public about land clearing regulations. "Local customs themselves have rules and requirements, including reporting to the village head, having firebreaks, reporting the results, and so on," he said.