Pre-Palm Oil Plantation Fires in Indonesia AGAIN: Singapore Smoked Again

Australia's Government owned ABC News reports October 8, 2026 at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-08/indonesian-government-sued-over-worsening-wildfire/107237412

"Indonesian government faces Kalimantan [aka Borneo, three quarters of which is in Indonesia] wildfires lawsuit as haze blankets region"

"A group of civil society organisations in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province has filed a class action lawsuit against the national government over its handling of wildfires in the region.

Proceedings began yesterday in Pontianak, the capital of the region located on the island of Borneo.

According to the plaintiffs, the peatland fires and accompanying widespread haze are an almost annual occurrence and should have been anticipated.

Glorio Sanen, legal coordinator of the group Nafas Kalbar, which was formed to hold the government accountable, said the government's failure to act and negligence were responsible for the fires and its impact.

...Millions of people, including in neighbouring countries Singapore and Malaysia, have been dealing with toxic haze caused by the forest fires that started in July [2026].

Indonesia's Health Ministry has recorded at least 175,000 respiratory infection cases linked to fires since August.

According to the official data, more than 200 fire spots are still burning, with the wet season in most parts of Indonesia not expected to arrive until November [2026].

...fires more easily spread across peatlands damaged and dried out as a result of practices such as monoculture planting of palm oil.

...Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land, according to the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency's special crimes unit.

Investigations into possible corporate involvement in lighting the fires is underway, with charges carrying possible prison sentences of up to 15 years.

Environmental groups said the conversion of peatlands into oil palm plantations in Kalimantan was one of the causes of wildfires. (Reuters: Willy Kurniawan via ABC)
---

..."If we're asking law enforcement authorities to enforce the law on forest and land fires in a transparent and fair manner, how could they object to that?"...MORE

Comment

It is possible that landowner corruption is hindering the high standard of Indonesian legal processes concerning pre-Palm Oil Plantation clearances that use fire.