Indonesia's government has warned of tough legal action against companies linked to recurring forest fires, as the public-health impact has intensified. A total of 333,470 respiratory illness cases have been recorded in affected areas, with approximately 4,522 new cases each day.
President Prabowo Subianto said companies found to have repeatedly violated land-management and fire-prevention regulations would face the revocation of their business licences and be held legally accountable.
Authorities are investigating suspected violations. Preliminary findings indicate that some companies have repeatedly breached the regulations.
The warning of stricter enforcement comes as forest fires place heavy pressure on the country's health system. The 333,470 respiratory illness cases include 75,172 children under five and 258,298 people aged five and above.
Text: Rithy
