Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for tougher laws and stricter sanctions against individuals and companies responsible for forest and land fires as the country battles its most severe wildfire season in more than a decade.
Prabowo said there should be zero tolerance for people or corporations found responsible for starting fires, particularly those using slash-and-burn methods to clear land.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sept 16, he instructed the government to review existing penalties and consider strengthening the law. He also suggested that serious cases could potentially be classified as “eco-terrorism”, reflecting the scale of the environmental and public health damage caused by the fires.
Prabowo also ordered regional governments to remove regulations that allow land to be cleared by burning, including exemptions covering the use of fire on small plots.
He further called on police to pursue criminal investigations against companies found to have violated fire-prevention requirements.
Indonesia is currently experiencing its most intense wildfire conditions in 11 years, with forests and agricultural areas across parts of Sumatra and Borneo affected by prolonged dry weather associated with a strong El Niño pattern.
The fires have also produced widespread haze, with air quality deteriorating in parts of neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore. Indonesian authorities have reported a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses in several affected provinces.
More than 50 aircraft have been deployed for firefighting operations, including water bombing and cloud seeding. Japan has also provided three CH-47 Chinook helicopters to support Indonesia’s efforts to contain the fires.
Government data showed that fires affected about 202,000 hectares of land between January and July. Environmental group YKAN estimated that another 600,000 hectares were affected by fires in August.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has warned that the fires could continue into October or early November because the arrival of the rainy season has been delayed.
The government has urged farmers, landowners and companies to avoid using fire for land clearing while dry conditions persist.
The latest measures reflect growing pressure on Indonesia to strengthen enforcement against illegal burning and prevent fires from causing further environmental damage, health problems and cross-border haze.
As the government reviews its legal framework, authorities will also continue firefighting and monitoring operations while preparing for the possibility that dry conditions could persist for several more weeks.
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