Indonesian police name 113 suspects in forest fire cases nationwide

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian National Police have named 113 individuals as suspects in forest and land fire cases as of Friday (September 4), following investigations into 169 wildfire reports nationwide that have scorched 4,741.89 hectares of land.Head of Sub-directorate III of the National Police's Directorate of Energy Resources and Environmental Crimes Senior Commissioner Pipit Subiyanto said in a statement received here on Saturday (September 5) that the suspects are predominantly individuals who used illegal slash-and-burn methods to clear land located near or on their own property.

Between January 1 and September 4, police processed 169 reports. Of these, 55 cases are currently under preliminary review, while 79 have advanced to formal investigations.

The Riau Regional Police recorded the highest number of suspects, with 42 individuals, followed by the South Sumatra Regional Police and Central Kalimantan Regional Police, each with 20 suspects.

Furthermore, the East Kalimantan Regional Police have named 13 suspects, followed by the Jambi Regional Police with eight suspects, the West Kalimantan Regional Police with seven suspects, and the South Kalimantan Regional Police with three suspects.

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The Riau Regional Police also reported the largest scorched area, at 2,112.25 hectares, followed by the West Kalimantan Regional Police with 1,696.3 hectares and the Lampung Regional Police with 637.4 hectares.

Head of the National Police's Public Information Bureau Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said strict law enforcement is crucial to deterring future fires.

He urged the public to abandon traditional slash-and-burn clearing practices and immediately report suspected illegal burning.

"Every piece of information and discovery related to suspected forest fire crimes will be followed up professionally and in accordance with legal provisions," Andiko concluded.