SD Guthrie denies Indonesian estates caused fires

SD Guthrie Bhd has refuted claims connecting its Indonesian plantations to forest and land fires, asserting it found no proof the fires were started by its personnel or subsidiaries. The plantation corporation stated ground inspections revealed no active fires in any of its Indonesian estates. The allegations, according to Guthrie, lacked credible evidence and did not mirror its on-site assessments.

Some companies identified in public reports as Guthrie affiliates are not owned, managed, or controlled by the group. Guthrie cautioned against any mistaken attribution and called for such inaccuracies to be rectified. The firm's fire prevention strategies encompass real-time water level monitoring, peatland water-table surveillance, moisture maintenance, community fire-prevention programs, and training for local farmers on responsible land management.

Upon detecting a fire within or near its operational zones, Guthrie's operations respond promptly, irrespective of the fire's origin. The company's Indonesian subsidiary, Minamas Plantation, maintains 67 firefighting teams with 1,005 trained personnel. These teams are backed by drone and infrared monitoring across their plantation concession and approximately 322,000 hectares of nearby community land.

From January to September 2026, these teams dealt with and extinguished 2,411 fires, with 2,376 occurring on community land.

Guthrie's response to fires outside its concession area should not be construed as indicating the group's culpability. The corporation allocates roughly 3.5 billion rupiah (RM800,000) monthly to sustain and deploy these firefighting resources. Guthrie collaborates with Indonesian authorities to tackle fires beyond its concession areas.

The company pledged to continue working with relevant Indonesian authorities and stakeholders, requesting any inaccurate data or improper ownership attribution be corrected and for allegations to be substantiated by credible evidence. Guthrie remains open to constructive dialogue with stakeholders to jointly strive for fire prevention and community/environmental protection.