Plaintiffs accuse state officials of negligence as recurring wildfires deepen West Kalimantan’s haze crisis.
Years of recurring forest and land fires have prompted legal action in West Kalimantan, where residents and civil society groups are suing the Indonesian government over its response to the 2026 haze disaster. The plaintiffs argue that clean air and a healthy environment are basic rights the state must protect.
Residents Take Government to Court
Lawyers have filed a class action against President Prabowo Subianto and 26 officials from national, provincial, and local governments, as well as police and emergency services. The plaintiffs allege government “negligence, omission and failure” contributed to what their filing describes as a major public health crisis caused by the 2026 haze in West Kalimantan. One plaintiff, 29-year-old Sisilius Rami, said residents were demanding their basic rights to clean air and a healthy environment.
Haze Disrupts Daily Life
The plaintiffs say the haze has disrupted education, outdoor activities, farming, and public health across a province with nearly six million residents. Alongside Sisilius, the case includes NGOs representing youth, environmental, and Indigenous causes. The filing argues that the number of people affected by the 2026 haze is too large for individual claims to be practical.
Communities Say Resources Are Insufficient
Wildfires have burned across West Kalimantan for weeks, with haze reaching Malaysia and Singapore. Authorities have deployed firefighters and volunteers while using cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations, but plaintiffs argue communities have still been left fighting fires with limited equipment. AMAN representative Tono said stronger measures, including more firefighting equipment, borewells, and additional water-bombing aircraft, should have been provided.
Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Measures and Compensation
The plaintiffs are calling for the government to declare a national emergency to release additional resources for firefighting and recovery. They are also seeking free healthcare for people suffering from acute respiratory infections and compensation for families of people who died from the illness. Their lawyer, Glorio Sanen, has called for a thorough investigation into the causes of the fires, including allegations that corporations burned land for commercial activities.
Government Says Action Is Already Underway
The Indonesian government told AFP that it respects the legal action and said many of the residents’ concerns are already being addressed. The Government Communications Agency pointed to ground and aerial firefighting, healthcare services, and investigations into 95 corporations whose activities may have contributed to the fires. It also cited Indonesia’s prohibition on land-clearing by burning. The next court hearing is scheduled for October 21, 2026.
The West Kalimantan case places government responsibility for recurring haze and environmental protection under direct legal scrutiny in Indonesia. For Indonesians, the proceedings could bring greater attention to residents’ demands for health protection, firefighting resources, and accountability. For Singaporeans, the case is also regionally significant because haze from the fires has crossed national borders and reached Singapore as well as Malaysia.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , CNA (2026)
Keywords: West Kalimantan Haze, Indonesia Haze Lawsuit, Clean Air Rights, Forest Fires Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, Transboundary Haze
