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Central Kalimantan Forest and Land Fires: Commission IV Investigates Causes and Corporate Responsibility
Published
Wakil Ketua Komisi IV DPR RI Alex Indra Lukman terima aspirasi berupa dokumen tertulis dari perwakilan PT Pancaran Wananusa pada Kunspek Komisi IV DPR RI di BPKH Wilayah XXI Palangka Raya, Kalimantan Tengah.|Foto: Munchen/Karisma
PARLEMENTARIA, Palangka Raya - Deputy Chair of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives Alex Indra Lukman called for a thorough investigation into the causes of forest and land fires in Central Kalimantan, including suspected human involvement and the responsibility of companies holding forestry permits. He said law enforcement and improved regulations are needed to prevent similar fires from recurring.
Alex explained that Central Kalimantan was chosen as the site of Commission IV's specific working visit because, according to the data it received, the province had the highest number of hotspots and the largest area burned.
"Central Kalimantan had the most hotspots recently, and the area burned was also the largest across the entire archipelago," he told Parlementaria after Commission IV's Specific Working Visit to the XXI Regional Forest Area Consolidation Office in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, on Friday (13/11/2026).
During the visit, Commission IV gathered information from the Ministry of Forestry, the Forestry Agency, and several corporations that have been subject to administrative sanctions. The inquiry sought to identify the factors behind the increase in forest and land fires in 2026 compared with previous years.
One issue of concern to Commission IV was the suspected major role of human activity in the fires. According to the briefing it received, human activity was cited as the cause of up to 99 percent of forest and land fires.
"One point of concern raised earlier was that everyone acknowledged that 99 percent of forest and land fires are caused by humans. Therefore, there must certainly be firm law enforcement against those responsible so these incidents do not recur," he stressed.
Commission IV also examined the basis for imposing different administrative sanctions on 14 companies holding Forest Utilization Business Permits (PBPH). According to a briefing from the Ministry of Forestry's Directorate General of Forestry Law Enforcement, the companies have a total concession area of 512,463.87 hectares, of which 32,872.37 hectares have burned.
The sanctions comprised permit suspensions for nine companies, permit revocations for three companies, and written warnings for two companies. Commission IV requested an explanation of the considerations underlying the differing sanctions.
"We have requested that explanation in writing from the Ministry of Forestry, in this case the Director General of Law Enforcement: why are there differences in the sanctions?" Alex said.
In addition to highlighting the differing sanctions, Alex called for the companies' business characteristics to be taken into account in the investigation. He explained that the companies under scrutiny operate in forest product utilization, not plantation development. For that reason, he said, the causes of the fires and the possible involvement of each party must be thoroughly investigated.
"These companies are not plantation companies; they depend on forest products for their business. So, in our view, it doesn't really make sense that they would be the ones setting fires. This is why the matter must be thoroughly investigated and fully untangled," he said.
The companies' responsibility toward communities living around forest areas was also a concern. According to the Ministry of Forestry's briefing and input from Commission IV member Bambang Purwanto, some companies were considered to have fallen short in their responsibility to work in partnership with local communities, including by providing fire prevention and control facilities and equipment.
"Some companies have neglected their responsibility toward communities in forest areas. They should also be responsible for providing facilities and equipment for fire response and suppression. These are things they have failed to do," Alex said.
All the information and input will be considered by Commission IV through its Forest and Land Fire Working Committee, which has already been established. The findings of the inquiry will be formulated into recommendations for the government to act on. He added that regulations need to be improved to clarify and strengthen the implementation of companies' obligations to prevent and tackle forest and land fires.
"Therefore, in my view, we also need to improve these regulations so that prevention efforts can succeed," he concluded. (/um)
