TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Riau Forest Rescue Network (Jikalahari) asked the Malaysian government to not only, though rightfully, protest the Indonesian forest fire smog entering their country, the network also urged them to evaluate Malaysian plantation companies that allegedly contribute to the forest fire smog.

“That is because Jikalahari’s found that lands owned by Malaysian subsidiaries had gone up in flames since 2013 – September 2019,” said Jikalahari Coordinator Made Ali in Pekanbaru, Tuesday, September 10.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Science previously sent an official protest to Indonesia over the transboundary smog originating from Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Moreover, Jikalahari coordinator says the Tera-Aqua Modis satellite images show analysis on hotspots from 2013 shows 130 hot spots spread across Malaysian subsidiary plantations.

In regards to the issue, Made Ali said that one company had been legally found guilty by the Pelalawan District Court on September 9, 2014. The company in question was PT Adei Plantation and Industry (KLK Grup) that was eventually fined up to Rp1.5 billion or jail time represented by Tan Kei Yoong.

That company was also ordered to restore40 hectares of damaged land through composting costing up to Rp15.1 billion. Another Malaysian subsidiary Jikalahari recalled was PT Bhumi Reksa Nusa Sejati (Simedarby) that saw 50 hectares of its land engulfed in fire.

ANTARA