{
  "id": 16968062,
  "title": "Indonesia’s forest fires linked to 21 Malaysian-affiliated companies, NGO alleges",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/indonesias-forest-fires-linked-to-21-malaysian-affiliated-companies",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T21:00:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Independent Singapore",
    "slug": "the-independent-singapore",
    "url": "https://theindependent.sg/indonesia-s-forest-fires-linked-to-21-malaysian-affiliated-companies-ngo-alleges"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indonesia's environmental watchdog WALHI has accused 21 Malaysian-affiliated companies of contributing to forest and land fires, sparking concerns over corporate accountability and the haze problem. The NGO's report, released in Kuala Lumpur, identified 30,927 fire hotspots from January to September, with nearly half occurring in oil palm plantations and forestry concessions where companies possess land rights. Kalimantan experienced the highest number of hotspots, with West Kalimantan reporting 9,529 and Central Kalimantan 7,141. Air quality in affected regions deteriorated to unhealthy or hazardous levels, according to the report. WALHI also discovered that certain high-risk concessions were linked to business entities having ties to Singapore, Hong Kong, and offshore tax havens, indicating a corporate network extending beyond Indonesia's borders.\n\nThe allegations echo a separate report by Greenpeace Indonesia and Pantau Gambut, which identified 20 entities linked to forest fires between August 1 and October 1. Their dataset included companies from Malaysia and Singapore. WALHI suggested that certain Indonesian entities had also appeared in a 2019 report on fires affecting their owned land. They called for authorities to review permits, limit operations, suspend activities, or revoke concessions held by repeat offenders. However, Malaysian government spokesman Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil stated on October 16 that investigations found no Malaysian plantation companies with Indonesian oil palm concessions involved in haze-linked fires, adding that the majority of observed fires were outside Malaysian firms' concessions.\n\nThe conflicting reports underscore the importance of location and ownership in fire assessments. While satellite data can guide investigations, the allegations require scrutiny against company records and concession boundaries. Indonesian authorities can scrutinize the named firms and impose penalties where evidence warrants. Neighboring countries, such as Singapore, must also rigorously evaluate claims and enforce regulations, as smoke from forest fires can cross borders. These findings should be substantiated with evidence, not treated as proof of guilt.",
  "summary": "MALAYSIA/INDONESIA: An Indonesian environmental group has linked 21 Malaysian-affiliated companies to forest and land fires, raising questions about corporate oversight and responsibility for recurring haze. Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) made the allegation in a report released in Kuala Lumpur. Its analysis recorded 30,927 fire hotspots across Indonesia between January and September.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}