Jakarta – Environmental groups have called on Indonesia’s newly appointed Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat to conduct a sweeping audit of corporate compliance in Riau, as the province faces heightened forest and land fire risks amid a looming El Niño-induced dry season.
The call came from Jikalahari during the minister’s first official visit to the region on Monday, May 4, warning that current fire prevention efforts remain overly focused on emergency response rather than addressing systemic failures among concession holders.
“Without a compliance audit, preparedness risks becoming a formality,” said Jikalahari coordinator Okto Yugo Setiyo, urging the government to review permits and ensure companies meet fire prevention requirements, including adequate infrastructure and trained personnel.
The group reported at least 306 fire hotspots detected within concession areas in Riau as of March 2026, spanning both industrial timber plantations and oil palm estates. More than one-third of these hotspots were found in industrial forest concessions, with the remainder concentrated in palm oil plantations.
Indonesia has long struggled with recurring forest and peatland fires, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, where dry conditions and land-use practices exacerbate risks. The Ministry of Environment has previously acknowledged the need to strengthen prevention and enforcement, emphasising that environmental governance must balance economic activity with sustainability.
In his inaugural remarks last week, Minister Jumhur stressed the importance of embedding environmental ethics across all levels of society and ensuring that industrial development adheres to environmental standards. He said economic growth and environmental protection “must go hand in hand,” signalling a policy direction that prioritises compliance and accountability.
Jikalahari argued that past enforcement actions highlight persistent corporate negligence. Since 2015, at least 13 companies have been found guilty in court for fire-related violations, many linked to inadequate fire prevention systems. One cited case showed a company operating with insufficient firefighting teams, monitoring towers, and water reservoirs—falling well below regulatory requirements.
The group also pointed to recent fires affecting 179 hectares across five industrial concessions in 2025, which remain under investigation by local authorities.
As Indonesia braces for a potentially severe dry season, Jikalahari urged the ministry to shift its approach from reactive firefighting to preventive governance, including transparent audits, stricter sanctions, and possible permit revocations for repeat offenders.
The ministry has yet to announce whether it will undertake a comprehensive compliance audit in Riau, but officials have indicated that strengthening environmental oversight will be a priority under the new leadership. (nsh)
Banner photo: Minister of Environment Jumhur Hidayat. Source: Ministry of Environment.
