Prabowo seeks stricter rules to prevent forest fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promised strict action against corporations intentionally starting forest and peatland fires on Friday, calling for urgent regulatory reforms to close legal loopholes exploited by land clearers.

Speaking during a televised discussion with academics regarding peatland management, Prabowo emphasized that law enforcement alone is insufficient without closing existing legal gaps that hamper fire prevention.

"We will continue investigating corporations that deliberately set fires," Prabowo said. "First, we must revise the regulations. We must be firm on this."

The president singled out local bylaws across eight districts that currently permit individual landowners to burn up to two hectares of land for agricultural clearing, warning that such exceptions create unmanageable risks.

"Imagine someone exploiting the loophole that allows them to burn two hectares, which I think is complete nonsense," Prabowo said. "How can we stop a fire if one person is allowed to burn two hectares?"

Driven by severe El Niño-induced drought and widespread slash-and-burn agricultural clearing, forest and peatland fires swept across Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua, scorching hundreds of thousands of hectares.

The resulting hazardous haze triggered widespread respiratory illnesses, school closures, and regional air pollution, prompting calls for stricter regulatory enforcement against corporate land clearers.

Translator: Maria Cicilia Galuh Prayudhia, Katriana
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2026