Indonesian police have arrested 72 suspects linked to dozens of forest fire and land-burning cases on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Meanwhile, toxic haze covers many areas of Indonesia and drifts into Malaysia. Authorities warn that about 3 million people are affected by PM2.5 dust and are intensifying full-scale fire control measures.
Indonesian police arrested 72 suspects accused of involvement in setting forest fires and burning degraded land across multiple regions after severe fires in central and western areas caused widespread toxic haze, which crossed borders into Malaysia.
Mohammad Irhammi, Director of Special Crime Cases at Indonesia’s National Criminal Investigation Agency, revealed that suspects are being prosecuted following investigations of 89 forest fire and land-burning cases across nine provinces on Borneo and Sumatra. Most suspects are accused of deliberately burning land to prepare agricultural or economic crop areas at lower costs.
Police stated the investigation is ongoing and financial trails are being examined to determine if companies or investment groups are behind the land burning. They confirmed prosecutions will not target only those who physically set fires but will extend to beneficiaries, masterminds, and financial supporters. If sufficient evidence is found, offenders could face heavy fines or up to 15 years in prison.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto traveled to Central Kalimantan province on Saturday (22 Aug) after fires had burned approximately 47,500 rai. He ordered the mobilization of government resources, including helicopters and water pumps, to control the situation and vowed to take action against companies found responsible for causing the fires.
Authorities indicated at least four companies in West Kalimantan province are under investigation for suspected use of fire to clear land. If deliberate burning is proven, these companies could face penalties, including revocation of their business licenses.
The severity of the forest fires is exacerbated by drought and the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, especially in peat swamp areas where fires may smolder underground even after appearing extinguished, requiring sufficient rainfall to increase moisture and fully extinguish the fires.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment detected over 3,700 hotspots on Borneo island on Sunday, while southern Sumatra recorded more than 1,700 hotspots. This resulted in thick haze covering many areas, with visibility in some places reduced to just 10 meters.
The Indonesian government is conducting cloud seeding operations, deploying 30 helicopters to drop water and conduct aerial patrols over Kalimantan, and another 22 helicopters are operating over Sumatra.
Meanwhile, Malaysia is heavily affected by the haze, particularly in Sarawak state in the east, where air quality reached "very unhealthy" levels, forcing the closure of nearly 600 schools and impacting about 200,000 students.
Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, stated that approximately 3 million people in 37 districts and municipalities are directly affected by the haze and advised the public to wear masks and regularly monitor air quality indices.
He warned that fine particulate matter PM2.5 from smoke can penetrate the respiratory system and reach deep into the lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases, especially for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with asthma or existing lung conditions.
The Ministry of Health recommends that anyone experiencing difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, chest pain, or severe eye irritation should promptly seek medical attention at nearby health facilities.
Habiburrahman, chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal and security affairs, supports police prosecutions and believes financial trails should be followed to prosecute companies or sponsors benefiting from forest burning, rather than arresting only the workers or local perpetrators.
He noted that police have also taken proactive fire prevention measures, such as building 1,296 reservoirs and blocking 834 canals in high-risk areas to maintain moisture and reduce fire severity. He confirmed that the commission will monitor and support law enforcement actions against offenders and long-term prevention measures to protect the public and the nation's ecosystems.
. SourceAssociated Press / ANTARA