32 Companies Indicated in Karhutla Face Administrative Sanctions, DPR Member: The State Must Be Firm

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A member of the House of Representatives' Commission II, Indrajaya, has highlighted the administrative sanctions imposed on 32 companies suspected of involvement in forest and land fires (karhutla).

He emphasized that the government must take decisive action against companies that are definitively linked to karhutla incidents in several regions.

"The state must be firm and impartial. We cannot allow the impression that the government is afraid of corporate mafia suspected of being involved in karhutla issues. Anyone proven to violate the law should be held accountable," Indrajaya stated in a press release on Monday (26/10/2026).

He noted that administrative sanctions do not equate to the impact of karhutla felt by affected communities.

Indrajaya urged the government to ensure strict law enforcement against corporations proven to have committed violations.

"This is not merely an administrative matter but also relates to the government’s image in upholding the law. We must avoid any perception that the state is afraid to confront corporate power," he added.

On a different note, he called for a comprehensive, measured response that protects communities during firefighting efforts.

Indrajaya pointed out that local governments are in a challenging position as they must directly interact with those impacted by the fires.

"Local governments are the ones who must face the communities affected. Many residents' economic activities have come to a halt, hospitals are experiencing an increase in acute respiratory infection (ISPA) patients, public services are disrupted, and air transportation is heavily impacted. Almost every sector is affected," he explained.

As a result, he encouraged law enforcement efforts to extend beyond just administrative sanctions against companies that have violated regulations.

"The government must take this issue seriously. It should not only count corporate administrative violations but also assess environmental damage, health costs, lost income for communities, and disrupted public services," Indrajaya stressed.

32 Companies Suspended

Previously, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni announced the suspension of the Forest Utilization Business Permits (PBPH) of six companies related to karhutla.

These six companies, whose forest utilization permits were suspended, are located in Central Kalimantan (Kalteng). They are also required to conduct ecosystem restoration.

"As of today, in accordance with the President's directive, we are implementing this suspension alongside mandatory ecosystem restoration for the six companies I mentioned," Raja said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (21/10/2026).

Overall, the Ministry of Forestry has imposed administrative sanctions on 32 companies related to karhutla across various regions in Indonesia.

"The total area of concessions affected, including suspensions, revocations, and mandatory ecosystem restoration, amounts to 1,931,115 hectares for these 32 concessions," Raja Juli added.