Indonesia revokes permits of 28 companies linked to deadly sumatra landslides that killed 1,200

Indonesia has taken unprecedented action against environmental violators, revoking the permits of 28 companies whose activities allegedly worsened the catastrophic floods and landslides that devastated Sumatra in late 2025. The natural disasters, triggered by Cyclone Senyar in November, claimed approximately 1,200 lives across Indonesia’s main western island.

Following the tragedy, a government task force conducted a comprehensive audit of companies operating in the affected areas. The investigation revealed that these 28 firms had violated Indonesia’s 2009 environmental protection law and other regulations, contributing to environmental damage that amplified the disaster’s impact. The revoked permits cover an enormous area—roughly 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres), equivalent to one-third the size of Belgium.

The sanctions affect a mix of operations critical to Indonesia’s economy, including 22 forest utilization permits for natural and plantation forests, plus six additional permits for mining, plantation, and timber operations. Among the penalized companies is major pulpwood producer PT Toba, signaling that even large corporations aren’t immune from accountability.

This decisive government response, announced by President Prabowo Subianto on January 19, represents a significant shift in Indonesia’s approach to environmental enforcement. Rather than treating violations as routine compliance issues, authorities are now explicitly linking permit revocations to post-disaster accountability. State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi emphasized that the companies were “proven to have committed violations,” though detailed findings for each case have yet to be publicly disclosed. The move demonstrates Indonesia’s growing recognition that environmental protection and disaster prevention are inextricably linked.