Indonesian police confirm foreign links in 98 forest and land fire cases

Indonesian National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto (left) says investigators are gathering evidence and expect to name suspects soon, including company owners and shareholders linked to the fires. (EPA Images pic) JAKARTA: Indonesian police have confirmed the involvement of foreign entities, including those from neighbouring countries, in 98 corporate cases linked to the forest and land fires gripping the country.

National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto said the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) is currently working to identify those responsible and establish the nature of their involvement.

“Of the 98 corporate cases we are investigating, there is foreign involvement, but as the investigations are ongoing, we are still determining which involve foreign investment or foreign parties and which do not,” he told a press conference after a limited Cabinet meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday.

Suyudi said investigators are gathering evidence and expected to name suspects soon, including company owners and shareholders who could be held responsible for the fires.

Separately, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman Prabowo called for firefighting operations to be intensified without waiting for rainfall, stressing the need for immediate and sustained action.

“The president instructed that the deployment of troops and personnel, including the Indonesian military, police, Forestry Service, and members of the public, be intensified. This must be carried out on a massive scale, in a measured manner and without delay, because the situation has become very disruptive,” he said.

Dudung also said Indonesia had responded to offers of foreign assistance, including from Malaysia and Singapore, with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) coordinating technical arrangements for the proposed support.

However, he said at an earlier press conference that foreign assistance would have to wait until the Indonesian government declares the fires a national disaster – a step it has yet to take, saying it was capable of managing the crisis with its own resources.