In brief
Police in Indonesia announced that twenty companies were named as suspects in the latest wave of forest and land fires. The Indonesian Muslim Students Association praised the move, urging full investigation, transparency, and environmental restoration. It called for enforcement of environmental laws and recovery measures that protect communities and ecosystems.
In Jakarta, the Indonesian Muslim Students Association’s Central Executive Board welcomed the police for naming 20 companies as suspects in a series of recent forest and land fires across the country. The announcement came after a police statement identified the firms involved in activities that allegedly contributed to the fires that threatened forests, ecosystems and nearby communities.
The move is seen as a step toward environmental accountability, with the police affirming their commitment to prosecuting environmental crimes. The association’s deputy secretary‑general for strategic policy, Herdiansyah Iskandar, said that prosecuting the companies is essential to ensuring equal treatment under the law.
Prosecuting companies was essential to ensuring equal treatment under the law.
Herdiansyah also warned that naming suspects should be only the beginning of the process. He urged authorities to keep investigations transparent, professional and accountable, so that legal certainty could be achieved for all parties involved.
He noted that forest and land fires are not merely law‑enforcement issues; they are matters of environmental justice. An investigation that stops after the suspects are named would miss the larger goal of protecting Indonesia’s forests and the livelihoods that depend on them.
Prevention and Restoration Call
To prevent future fires, the Association said the government must review permits, monitor concessions, conduct environmental audits and improve early detection in fire‑prone areas. These measures would help ensure that companies operating in forested areas meet all environmental protection obligations before damage occurs.
The association further urged that corporate law enforcement be tied to environmental restoration. Companies found responsible should rehabilitate ecosystems and pay compensation according to applicable laws, co‑ordinator Herdiansyah added.
He highlighted that the impact of the fires extends beyond forest destruction. Public health, local economies and long‑term ecological sustainability are all at risk, and restoring the environment is a “must” for recovery.
Reaching out to all stakeholders, Herdiansyah said the state must not measure success only by the number of companies named. The success of the investigation would also include restoration projects, protection of affected communities and guarantees against recurring fires.
Regarding the involvement of foreign‑invested companies, the deputy secretary‑general emphasized Indonesia’s legal sovereignty. Environmental laws must apply equally to all parties, regardless of size, financial resources or investment origin. “Indonesia welcomes investment, but not at the expense of the environment. Domestic and foreign companies operating here must comply with Indonesian law. No one should receive preferential treatment,” he said.
As the investigations continue, the Indonesian Muslim Students Association has called on the state to ensure that the legal process remains thorough, transparent and that the environmental restoration follows every prosecutorial outcome.
