Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto called for an investigation into suspected human and corporate roles in forest and land fires on Oct. 21, with companies facing possible permit revocations if violations are proved.
At a cabinet meeting, Prabowo urged investigators to determine whether individuals or businesses were responsible for the fires. He said corporate permits could be withdrawn where evidence establishes violations. His statement did not assign blame to any company.
Two days earlier, Prabowo had told agencies to intensify firefighting and work together more closely. On Oct. 12, the presidency said crews were still fighting fires across six provinces, covering about 639 hectares at that time. Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra were then the main focus.
The investigation call followed demonstrations on Oct. 20, the second anniversary of Prabowo’s administration. ANTARA reported that hundreds gathered at Jakarta’s Tugu Tani monument. The Yogyakarta provincial legislature reported thousands of students outside its building.
The legislature said Keluarga Mahasiswa Universitas Islam Indonesia (KM UII), one of the groups at the Yogyakarta rally, sought a review of the fire response and quicker recovery for affected residents. Its demands also addressed government programs and the management of subsidized fuel. RiauAktual reported a student demonstration about the fires in Pekanbaru, and iNews Celebes reported one in Makassar.
At a separate Jakarta action, Greenpeace Indonesia said its activists displayed banners at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout urging climate action and relief from living costs. The group said haze disrupts health and economic activity. It separately cited broader climate research linking climate disruption to reduced income and purchasing power, especially for economically vulnerable workers.
BPS-Statistics Indonesia reported that consumer prices rose 3.28% in September from a year earlier and 0.30% from August. The national index does not measure how much of those increases, if any, resulted from the fires.
The Indonesian National Police said security operations in Jakarta involved 9,505 personnel, including 7,660 police officers, for 26 demonstrations and community events on Oct. 20. Under Prabowo’s directive, investigators must establish violations before the proposed permit penalties can follow.
