Only 9 Corporations Suspected in Karhutla Cases, Kemenko Polkam: It's a Long Process

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Assistant Deputy for Coordination of Defense Power, Capability, and Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Brig. Gen. TNI (Mar) Kresno Pratowo, explained why only a portion of corporations have recently become suspects despite 98 reports related to forest and land fires (karhutla).

According to Kresno, the law enforcement process against those responsible for forest and land fires, particularly corporations, takes considerable time.

"This process is indeed quite lengthy. But I encourage that this needs to be exposed," Kresno stated during a Redaction Discussion on Karhutla at Amanaia Satrio, South Jakarta, on Wednesday (21/10/2026).

Kemenhut: Strong Evidence Needed

At the same event, the Director of Forest Fire Control at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Kemenhut), Thomas Nifinluri, echoed Kresno's sentiment that law enforcement against corporations must be approached with caution.

"This involves legal standing, which must be proven clearly and precisely. So it shouldn't just be words, but must be supported by strong evidence," he added.

According to Thomas, addressing corporations involved in karhutla requires assessing their level of compliance and infrastructure.

"So everything is checked, whether they have SOPs, whether they have an early warning system, for example, a system for detecting hotspots, and the procedures for reporting," he elaborated.

Thomas pointed out that the police (Polri) face difficulties in gathering evidence in the field.

"In the field, it is certainly not as simple as it appears from outside. Many factors must be considered to seek evidence, witnesses, and expert testimonies. This is not strong evidence; it is a dilemma for us," Thomas remarked.

11 Corporations Become Suspects

Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto revealed that the police have identified 11 corporations as suspects in the karhutla cases, three of which are foreign investment companies (PMA).

"We have identified 11 corporate suspects. Three of them are PMA, while the investigation is still ongoing," Suyudi stated at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday night (21/10/2026).

He claimed that the police are not facing challenges in investigating these corporations.

It was previously reported that the police have escalated 98 police reports (LP) related to forest and land fires (karhutla) to the investigation stage. Out of these 98 reports, all are related to corporations.