Antara News·Indonesia·Friday, October 30, 2026 at 02:46 PM UTC

House Speaker urges transparent probe as 20 firms named fire suspects

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Bagus Rizaldi, Uyu Liman

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani has urged law enforcement officials to ensure transparent proceedings after police named 20 companies as suspects in forest and land fires nationwide.

She said the fires had severely disrupted public life, affecting respiratory health, regional economies, schools and community livelihoods.

“Combating forest and land fires requires more than extinguishing flames and rehabilitating affected land; the state must take a firm stance against those responsible for these disasters,” Maharani said in a statement on Friday.

Investigators and prosecutors must ensure justice for affected communities as the cases move through the legal system, she said.

She also urged central and regional governments to provide sustained assistance to affected residents until air quality and daily life return to normal.

“Legal proceedings take time, but people’s immediate needs — including health care, education and livelihood support — require urgent, targeted action,” she said.

Maharani also urged authorities to anticipate economic fallout if sanctions against the companies disrupt local operations, while protecting workers and small-business partners without weakening law enforcement.

“Our shared goal is to ensure that communities can live safely,” she added.

The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) earlier named 245 individuals and 20 companies, including four foreign-invested firms, as suspects in forest and land fire cases through October 2026.

“The National Police will not tolerate forest and land fires, whether caused intentionally or through negligence, that degrade the environment and harm the public,” Bareskrim chief Asep Safrudin said in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

“Law enforcement is being carried out objectively through evidence-based scientific criminal investigations in accordance with applicable laws,” he added.

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