Indonesia hunts foreign links in 98 corporate fire cases as haze chokes region
ndonesian authorities are investigating 98 corporate cases linked to forest and land fires, with police confirming possible involvement by foreign entities, including parties from neighbouring countries, as worsening haze continues to raise concerns across the region.
National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto said the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) is working to establish who was responsible for the fires and determine whether foreign investors, companies or other parties played a role in the cases.
Speaking to reporters after a limited Cabinet meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday, Suyudi said investigators had identified indications of foreign involvement in some of the cases. However, he stressed that inquiries were still underway to distinguish cases involving foreign investment or foreign parties from those without such links.
Investigators are currently collecting evidence and examining the circumstances surrounding the fires. According to Suyudi, authorities expect to identify suspects soon, potentially including company owners and shareholders who may bear responsibility for the incidents. Any legal action will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman Prabowo has called for an immediate escalation of firefighting operations, emphasising that authorities cannot afford to wait for rainfall to improve the situation.
He said President Prabowo had directed the deployment of additional personnel from the Indonesian military, police, Forestry Service and local communities. The response, he stressed, must be carried out on a large scale, with proper coordination and without unnecessary delays, given the growing disruption caused by the fires.
Indonesia has also received offers of assistance from neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is coordinating technical arrangements related to the proposed support.
However, Dudung previously explained that the deployment of foreign assistance would depend on the Indonesian government declaring the situation a national disaster. The government has not made such a declaration, maintaining that Indonesia can still manage the crisis using its own resources.
The situation places Indonesia under growing pressure to contain the fires while addressing questions about corporate accountability and possible cross-border connections. Forest and land fires can have consequences well beyond the areas where they begin, particularly when smoke travels across national borders and affects air quality, public health and everyday life throughout Southeast Asia.
For families living under a thick blanket of haze, the immediate concern is not who owns the land or where a company is registered, but whether the air will become safe to breathe again. Children, older people, outdoor workers and those with respiratory sensitivities can face particular difficulties when air quality deteriorates.
The investigations could therefore prove significant not only for determining responsibility but also for strengthening efforts to prevent future fires. If wrongdoing is established, effective enforcement and accountability will be essential. At the same time, faster firefighting operations and practical regional cooperation could help reduce the immediate harm.
Ultimately, tackling Indonesia’s forest and land fires requires more than putting out flames after they spread. It calls for sustained prevention, responsible land management and meaningful action against those found to have violated the law. For communities across Southeast Asia, the goal is straightforward: cleaner air, healthier families and lasting protection against another haze crisis.
Source: Bernama