Walhi: 'Malaysia Must Also Be Responsible for Fires in Indonesia'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) believes that the Malaysian government must also be responsible for the smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia. Walhi’s forest campaign manager, Uli Arta Siagian, pointed out that some of the companies experiencing fires in their concession areas are based in Malaysia.

“The Malaysian government should take responsibility instead of sending letters to the Indonesian government,” Uli said in Jakarta, on Friday, October 6, 2023, as quoted by Antara.

Walhi recorded three Malaysian companies in West Kalimantan whose concessions were burned. This fire incident occurred repeatedly, not only in 2023 but also in 2015 and 2019.

According to her, the Malaysian government could impose sanctions or take over the punishment process in Malaysia where the company is located as a form of its responsibility.

“Because Malaysia is also the biggest beneficiary of palm oil business practices in Indonesia,” Uli added.

As reported earlier, the Malaysian government sent a letter to Indonesia about smoke from fires to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations that billowed over the regions. Nik Nazmi, the Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, said he hoped Indonesia would respond soon.

The Indonesian government stressed that it was still striving to extinguish the fires burning forests and peatlands on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, and parts of Java, including using water-bombing helicopters and weather modification technology to create artificial rain.

SUNU DYANTORO

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