Govt moves against companies over haze

Indonesia has ordered four companies to suspend operations for allegedly causing forest fires that have sent smoke across a swathe of Southeast Asia, an environment ministry official said on Tuesday.

Indonesia has launched investigations against more than 200 companies as it scrambles to bring the fires on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands under control by the end of November, amid complaints from neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.

Previous government efforts to halt the seasonal slash-and-burn practices have failed to tackle the problem due to a lack of policy coordination and legal wrangling that can take years to resolve.

"These suspensions will be in effect until the criminal proceedings undertaken by the police are finished," Environment Ministry Secretary-General Bambang Hendroyono said.

Three plantation companies have had their permits frozen, and one forestry company has had its license revoked, he added. All the companies were Indonesian-owned.

Plantation company PT Langgam Inti Hibrindo, which is owned by small listed firm PT Provident Agro, was among the companies to have its permit frozen.

Last week, police named an official overseeing operations at Langgam Inti Hibrido as a suspect for allegedly starting fires on the company's land.

The company could not be reached for comment and Provident Agro did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

President Joko Widodo has ordered thousands of security personnel backed by helicopters to help fight the fires, and has threatened to revoke land permits from companies found responsible.

Thick smoke has blanketed the region in recent weeks, pushing pollution levels to unhealthy levels in Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia.