TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has begun investigating the alleged involvement of several companies in environmental damage that triggered floods in Sumatra. Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that his ministry is evaluating eight companies involved in responding to hydrological disasters that hit several regions in Sumatra.
Hanif explained that the eight companies operate in several watersheds, including Batang Toru, Garoga, Pandan, and Aek Sibulan. "We are evaluating because there are indications of activities that could potentially contribute to floods and landslides," he said on Saturday, 6 December 2025.
Although he was reluctant to name the eight companies, Hanif said that he inspected the Batang Toru and Garoga watersheds on December 5, 2025. The inspection aimed to assess the contribution of business activities to the increased risk of floods and landslides, as well as to ensure companies' compliance with environmental protection standards.
During the inspection, Hanif visited several companies, including PT Agincourt Resources, PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (PTPN III), and PT North Sumatera Hydro Energy (NSHE), as the developer of the Batang Toru Hydroelectric Power Plant. From the field, Hanif found preliminary indications of land clearing and business activities that could potentially trigger landslides and floods in North Sumatra.
Based on these findings, the Ministry of Environment ordered the companies to stop certain activities in the identified high-risk locations. "We are also preparing a comprehensive environmental audit to ensure field conditions, compliance with permits, and the actual impact on the ecosystem," said Hanif.
He added that his ministry is still investigating possible violations committed by the companies. Ministry teams are conducting field inspections, verifying environmental management documents, and seeking clarifications from each company. These clarifications cover slope management, land-clearing patterns, and compliance with environmental monitoring.
The Ministry of Environment has scheduled a clarification session with the eight companies for next week. Hanif emphasized the importance of this process for obtaining official explanations and for testing the alignment between field data and the environmental documents provided by the companies.
"Our focus is to ensure whether the companies' activities affect land stability and increase the risk of landslides or floods," said Hanif.
He stated that the investigation involves land, hydrology, and geospatial experts to ensure the conclusions are based on strong technical evidence. If proven to have committed violations, the companies can face administrative, civil, or criminal sanctions in accordance with Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management.
Ministry of Forestry Investigates 12 Companies
The Ministry of Forestry is also investigating 12 companies suspected of contributing to the destruction of forest areas and watersheds. Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, stated that legal proceedings are underway following indications of activities causing environmental damage.
"The Forestry Ministry's Law Enforcement Team is currently investigating legal subjects suspected of contributing to floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra," said Raja Juli during a meeting with the House Commission IV (DPR) on Thursday, 4 December 2025.
According to him, preliminary investigation results indicate violations at 12 locations involving companies in North Sumatra. Raja Juli ensured that law enforcement against these parties will soon commence. The team is still in the field to deepen findings and trace other legal subjects that may be involved. He promised to present the complete findings to the public.
The Indonesian Solidarity Party politician considered that the major floods in Sumatra are caused not only by extreme weather, but also by damage to ecosystems in environmentally sensitive areas. He mentioned that the tropical cyclone Senyar exacerbated the condition of the water catchment areas and watersheds that had previously been damaged. "This disaster is a combination of several factors, such as tropical cyclones, the geomorphology of watersheds, and the damage to water catchment areas," he said.
Police Tracing the Origin of Driftwood
The Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) of the Indonesian National Police is also tracing the origin of driftwood found amid floods in several areas of Sumatra. The initial tracing began in Sibolga, around the Batang Toru River, which was the source of flash floods. Several personnel were deployed to trace two watersheds: Garoga and Angoli.
Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo stated that this tracing involves the Ministry of Forestry. Based on initial findings, he suspected that the driftwood is related to activities that could potentially trigger hydrological disasters.
"There were findings of driftwood suspected of being related to violations," said Sigit in a press conference on Thursday, 4 December 2025. He declined to provide details, but mentioned that there was wood that appeared to be neatly cut, suspected to have been cut using a machine saw.
The Ministry of Forestry has examined the found wood and taken samples for identification using an Automatic Wood Identification (AIKO) device. "With AIKO, we can determine the wood's anatomy and check for any defects," said Raja Juli. He thought this technology was important for determining whether the wood came from logging.
The examination also includes tracing whether the wood originated from forest areas related to illegal logging, land clearing, or specific industrial activities. Raja Juli emphasized that these findings are preliminary and not yet final. More information will be provided once concrete data is obtained.
Read: Initial Findings Point to Illegal Logging Behind Sumatra Floods
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