In brief
The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) has identified 1,600 hectares of forest and land burned between July and October 2026 as deliberate land‑clearing by palm‑oil conglomerate PT AJP. Satellite and field mapping revealed a rectangular burn pattern and seedlings of oil palm and banana trees, leading to staged administrative sanctions and cooperation with police. OIKN plans enhanced monitoring, reforestation and fire‑preparedness measures across concession holders, while the investigation continues.
Balikpapan, East Kalimantan—Indonesia’s Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) confirmed that 1,600 hectares of forest and land within the planned capital region, IKN, were set ablaze between July and October 2026. The agency linked the fires to systematic land‑clearing carried out by palm‑oil company PT AJP, and has initiated punitive and corrective actions.
Using a combination of satellite imagery and on‑the‑ground mapping, OIKN officials documented that the burned areas showed a pronounced rectangular or elongated shape, a hallmark of deliberate clearing rather than accidental or wind‑spread events. Field inspections after the fires revealed new seedlings of oil palm and banana trees in several burn sites—a clear sign that vegetation had been cut and then set alight.
"Even in several locations after the fires, new plant seedlings, such as oil palm and banana trees, were found. This pattern of cutting vegetation and then burning it is a common and recurring tactic," Myrna Asnawati Safitri, OIKN Deputy for Environment and Natural Resources, said. The quote illustrates how the agency interprets the visual evidence as intentional land‑clearing.
Of the 1,600 hectares recorded, roughly 900 to 1,000 hectares lay within the boundaries of Bukit Soeharto Forest Park (Tahura), while about 500 hectares fell inside PT AJP’s concession area. The remaining burned parcels were scattered across privately owned land, according to OIKN reports.
OIKN has taken a staged approach to sanctions, beginning with written warnings and progressing to government orders that require land restoration. If PT AJP fails to comply, OIKN warned that the company’s business permit could be suspended or revoked. The Authority says it has already coordinated with law enforcement, and the police are currently conducting a formal investigation.
To broaden oversight, OIKN has forwarded its findings to the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forestry for a joint follow‑up. That includes examining dozens of other concession holders whose operational areas overlap the IKN and neighboring districts, the agency noted.
Beyond punitive measures, OIKN is tightening field monitoring and mandating that all concession holders bolster their fire‑preparedness systems. The Authority also plans to accelerate reforestation efforts in the most heavily impacted areas, though specific timelines for planting are not yet disclosed.
While the agency attributes the 1,600 hectares to deliberate actions by PT AJP, it has not ruled out the involvement of other companies. Whether the pattern of clear‑cutting and burning extends beyond the single plaintiff remains an open question that the investigation is set to unravel.
OIKN’s findings come amid growing scrutiny of land‑use practices in the rapidly developing IKN region. Stakeholders—including environmental groups and local communities—are watching closely to see how the Authority’s enforcement strategy will shape future land management and fire prevention in the area.
