Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Seven foreign companies are strongly believed to have been involved in land and forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Chief of the National Polices Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim). Commissioner General Anang Iskandar said.

The seven companies are identified by their initials as PT ASP of China, PT KAL of Australia, PT H of Singapore and PT IA, PT PAH, PT AP and PT MBI of Malaysia, he said at the National Police Headquarters here on Tuesday.

PT ASP is operating in Central Kalimantan, PT KAL in West Kalimantan, PT IA in South Sumatra, PT PAH in Jambi, PT AP in Jambi, PT H in South Sumatra and PT MBI in South Sumatra.

"The cases are being handled by the respective provincial police units," he said.

The police also have named PT PAH commissioner, identified by his initials as KBH, and PT AP commissioner, identified by his initials as KKH, as suspects in the case. Both commissioners are Malaysian nationals.

"They are charged with violating article 116 of the Environment Law," he said.

Till October 19, 2015, the police had handled 256 cases of land and forest fires. These included four cases handled by Bareskrim, 35 cases handled by the South Sumatra police, 71 cases by the Riau police, 21 cases by the Jambi police, 63 cases by the Central Kalimantan police, 29 cases by the West Kalimantan police, 13 cases by the South Kalimantan police and 12 cases handled by the East Kalimantan police.

The police have so far named 243 people as suspects in land and forest fires.

Of these, 88 suspects have been detained. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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