DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Forestry Minister Freezes Licenses of Five Companies Linked to West Kalimantan Fires

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Indonesia froze the licenses of five companies whose concessions were affected by forest and land fires in West Kalimantan.
  • The companies must restore the affected ecosystems, while authorities may pursue criminal cases if they find evidence of violations.
  • Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said falling hotspot counts had not eliminated hazardous smoke affecting air quality and visibility in Pontianak.

Indonesia has frozen the licenses of five companies after fires affected their forest concessions in West Kalimantan, with the government ordering ecosystem restoration and warning that criminal proceedings could follow.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the action followed President Prabowo Subianto’s instructions to strengthen enforcement against forest and land burning. The response, he said, would go beyond administrative sanctions. Companies could face license suspensions, compulsory environmental restoration, and criminal cases if authorities find evidence of wrongdoing.

This is not only an administrative sanction, a suspension, followed by compulsory environmental restoration, but it can also be taken to the criminal courts.

· Raja Juli AntoniThe forestry minister explained the range of penalties facing companies linked to the fires.

The affected companies are PT Mahkota Rimba Utama, PT Hutan Ketapang Lestari, PT Mayawana Persadamas, PT Duta Andalan Sukses, and PT Wana Lestari Jaya. Their concessions cover a combined 371,560 hectares. Reported burned areas ranged from about 47.84 hectares at PT Wana Lestari Jaya to 1,275.87 hectares at PT Mahkota Rimba Utama.

This follows President Prabowo Subianto’s order that we enforce the law fairly, fairly for everyone, not only downward but upward as well.

· Raja Juli AntoniHe said enforcement would apply across all levels.

Raja Juli said the government would monitor whether the companies carry out their restoration obligations. If they fail to do so, or if investigators find criminal elements, the cases will proceed through legal channels. He described the approach as fair enforcement that should apply at every level.

The minister also said the fire situation remained worrying despite a decline in hotspots. The number rose from 272 on Aug. 31 to 859 on Sept. 1, then fell to 268 on Sept. 2. The decline did not mean the smoke had disappeared. Smoke from earlier fires continued to disrupt air quality and visibility in Pontianak. “Hotspots are down, but the smoke today is very unhealthy,” Raja Juli said.

Hotspots are down, but the smoke today is very unhealthy.

· Raja Juli AntoniThe minister warned that fewer satellite-detected hotspots did not mean air conditions had improved.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog