JAKARTA, thekabarnews.com – President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a tougher investigation into corporate links to Indonesia’s forest and land fires (karhutla). The president is also directing officials to continue the search and examine the sinking of the Virgo Transport 8 ferry.

Prabowo issued the instructions during a limited disaster-response meeting at the State Palace on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The presidential meeting transcript records his directives on both incidents.

Prabowo asked the National Police (Polri) to investigate suspected deliberate burning. In addition, he wants them to verify the involvement of companies identified in the police chief’s report.

The president referred to a report concerning as many as 95 corporations. Prabowo said authorities must establish which had violated the rules before taking action.

Prabowo called for permit revocations where responsibility is proven, particularly if a company has previously faced sanctions. He said investigators should still examine possible criminal offenses after any revocation.

“I have asked the National Police [Polri] chief to go all out,” Prabowo said. “Investigate as thoroughly as possible, and we will take action.”

The government also wants investigators to examine suspected fires both within and outside land-use concession areas. Rather than assume that a fire’s location alone establishes who caused it, further investigation is needed.

Prabowo also proposed stronger penalties for deliberate forest and land burning, raising the possibility of classifying such acts as “eco-terrorism.”

He instructed the state secretary and law minister to review sanctions. Prabowo wants them to consider whether the House of Representatives (DPR) should amend the legislation.

That classification is a proposal, not a finding that any company has committed a terrorism offense. The Cabinet Secretariat’s account describes it as a potential legal change.

On the ferry disaster, Prabowo told the Transportation Ministry to coordinate with the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). He also said they must ensure that victims’ families receive their entitlements.

The president called for a thorough, objective investigation into what happened to KMP Virgo Transport 8 in the Java Sea.

Basarnas head Mohammad Syafi’i told the meeting that the vessel had been travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. It was carrying 243 passengers and 89 vehicles.

He reported that rescuers had evacuated 108 survivors and six people who died on the first day of operations. Those are first-day figures, not a current total; the search and investigation require separate, updated reporting.