Ministry Of Transportation Intervenes: The Concession Of PT FWL And CMI In West Kalimantan Is Sealed By Forest Fires

Installation of the forestry surveillance sign at the forest fire in the PBPH area of PT FWL Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan. ANTARA/HO-Kemenhut

JAKARTA - A joint team from the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), the Provincial Government of West Kalimantan (Kalbar), and a number of related institutions sealed two company concessions due to forest fires that hit an area of about 400 hectares (ha) in the border area of Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Director General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Law and Forestry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said that the sealing was carried out by the Joint Forestry Supervisory Team consisting of the Balai Gakkum Kehutanan Wilayah Kalimantan, the West Kalimantan Environment and Forestry Service, the Lestari Forest Management Center Region X Pontianak, and the Kalimantan Regional Forest Fire Control Center.

Two companies that were sealed were holders of Forest Utilization Business Licensing (PBPH) permits, namely PT FWL in Sambas Regency and PT CMI in Sanggau Regency.

"The sealing of these two companies is a follow-up to the results of surveillance in recent times," said Dwi in a written statement in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, July 31.

The team found a burning area of about 400 ha in the PT FWL concession that occurred on 19'22 July 2025. The location of the fire was not far from the Indonesia 'Malaysia border line. Meanwhile, in the PT CMI concession, the area burned is estimated to reach 30 ha and occurred between 14' July 24, 2025.

In both locations, the team sealed it by installing fire surveillance signs, checking fire management facilities and infrastructure, evaluating reports on fire management that had been carried out by the company, and reviewing standard operating procedures (SOP) and the preparedness of concession managers.

This step is a response to the instructions of the Minister of Forestry which asks the Ministry of Transportation to strengthen law enforcement and accelerate the handling of forest fires, especially in the concession area.

Head of the Balai Gakkum Forestry for the Kalimantan Region, Leonardo Gultom, added that his party continues to monitor hotspots and conduct patrols to prevent the spread of fires and potential cross-border smoke (transboundary haze) to neighboring countries.

"If proven to have committed a violation, the perpetrator could be subject to administrative, criminal, and civil sanctions in accordance with Law Number 41 of 1999 concerning Forestry," said Leonardo.

He also invited all elements of society to actively participate in preserving the forest, and immediately reported if they found indications of a fire or other forestry violation.