Haze: Malaysian, Singaporean firms under investigation

JOHOR BARU: A Malaysian plantation group and several Singapore-linked business interests have been identified as companies linked to Indonesian concessions where fire hotspots were detected.

Indonesian authorities have yet to disclose the identities or nationalities of the 19 companies investigated over fires affecting 11,047ha across seven provinces.

A report by Greenpeace Indonesia, Greenpeace Malaysia and Pantau Gambut identified at least one Malaysian company alongside four concessions linked to Singapore-based business interests.

The findings, released on Oct 5, however, did not point fingers at them for starting the fires in Sumatra and West Kalimantan, or committing any offence.

Indonesian Consul-General in Johor Baru Sigit Suryantoro Widiyanto said they identified 57 businesses across eight provinces in their enforcement crackdown.

Indonesia's environment ministry enforcement authorities had linked the businesses to open burning covering 33,514ha.

Authorities recorded 97 police reports involving corporations, while criminal investigations were under way against 46 suspects, including five companies.

The forestry ministry had imposed administrative sanctions on 26 companies, including revoking five permits, suspending 13 and issuing written warnings or restoration orders to eight.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto agreed to take measures to address the worsening haze, as Malaysia renewed calls for stronger regional cooperation.

Meanwhile, Sari Wilson-Pohan, an Indonesian who has lived in Johor since 2014, said she was embarrassed and saddened by what she viewed as a lack of urgency by Indonesia in addressing the fires. Both her sons attend school in Johor and her husband works in Singapore.

"Regardless of who owns the companies, Indonesia must put humanity first. Protecting people, the environment and our future should always come before protecting big businesses," she told the New Straits Times.

She said she had submitted an open letter to Prabowo urging decisive action and accountability.