Riau Police Chief Brigadier General Dolly Bambang Hermawan said several managers of Singaporean companies, including PT Palm Lestari Makmur and PT Pan United (PU), have been placed under investigation and are not allowed to leave the country.
The action has been talen to ease the investigation process into the two palm oil companies that are operating in the Indragiri Hulu (Inhu) Regency.
Watch Coconuts TV’s documentary series INTO THE HAZE on the smoke situation in Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
“We are investigating two foreign companies. [The staff for] one of them in Inhu are prevented from leaving the country,” Dolly said on Friday.
Dolly explained that the police are prohibiting the managers from leaving the Riau Province.
“[If they leave] then it could slow down our investigation, which is being carried out by the Special Crimes Investigation Directorate,” he said.
As for the 18 companies that were being investigated by the Riau Regional Police, Dolly said that the process is still ongoing.
“We’re still looking into them. Soon all of them will get their turn [to be investigated] and when the evidence is clear, we will name the [corporations] as suspects,” he said.
In addition, the Riau Regional Police is also coordinating with the Environment and Forestry Ministry to bring the companies responsible for the forest fires in Riau to justice.
“We always report any developments [to the ministry] when we hold meetings at the headquarters, particularly on law enforcement,” Dolly told Indonesia media outlet Merdeka.
According to the police, there are 18 companies that are currently being investigated for forest fires in Riau. They are:
1. PT Langgam Inti Hibrindo in Pelalawan, suspected of burning 533 hectares of land
2. PT Palm Lestari Makmur in Inhu, 29 hectares
3. PT Sumatera Riang Lestari in Inhil, 100 hectares
4. PT Bina Duta Laksana in Inhil, 299.4 hectares
5. PT Alam Sari Lestari in Inhu, 116 hectares
6. PT Bukti Raya Pelalawan in Pelalawan, 250 hectares
7. PT Parawira in Pelalawan, 300 hectares
8. KUD Bina Jaya Langgam in Pelalawan, 500 hectares
9. PT Ruas Utama Jaya in Rimba Melintang, Rohil, 288 hectares
10. PT Decter Timber Perkasa Industri in Rohil, 2,960 hectares
11. PT PAN United in Bengkalis, 200 hectares
12. PT Wana Subur Sawit Indah in Kabupaten Siak, 70 hectares
13. PT Suntara gajapati in Dumai, 5 hectares
14. PT Perawang Sukses Perkasa Industri in Kampar, 4.2 hectares
15. PT Siak Raya Timber in Kampar, 5.2 hectares
16. PT Riau Jaya Utama in Kampar, 10 hectares
17. PT Hutani Sola Lestari in Kampar, 91.2 hectares
18. PT Rimba Lazuardi in Kuansing, 15 hectares
Photo: Men fight a fire in Sumatra, Indonesia on Oct. 7, 2015. AFP / Abdul Qodir
