Indonesia To Take Tough Action Against 11 Companies Linked To Forest Fires
JAKARTA, Nov 10 (NNN) -- Indonesia plans to revoke, restrict or deny land cultivation rights involving 11 companies suspected of involvement in forest and land fires in Kalimantan, following a government assessment of their land concessions.
Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister Nusron Wahid said the measures followed recommendations from the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency.
His ministry had classified the 11 companies into five categories based on its assessment.
“The data have been conveyed, and what remains is the preparation of the draft decision letters. We will announce them soon,” he said, according to a statement issued by the Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Ministry.
The announcement followed a coordination meeting chaired by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman in Jakarta on Monday.
Nusron said some of the 11 companies had foreign beneficial owners allegedly linked to South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, while others also had domestic investors or shareholders whose names could not yet be disclosed.
According to the ministry, three companies face full revocation of their land cultivation rights, covering approximately 23,274 hectares in South and West Kalimantan.
The proposed action follows fires affecting more than 50 per cent of their concession areas, inadequate facilities and infrastructure, repeated fire incidents and violations of land-use conditions.
Another company in West Kalimantan will not have its land cultivation rights extended or renewed after its 2,300-hectare concession expired in 2020.
Three other companies will be denied new land cultivation rights. The ministry also plans to coordinate with the Agriculture Ministry on the possible revocation of their plantation business licences.
Meanwhile, another company in West Kalimantan faces partial revocation of its land cultivation rights involving a concession of approximately 1,510 hectares.
The remaining three companies are still under assessment to determine whether their land cultivation rights should be revoked partially or entirely, the ministry said.
--NNN
