Environment & Climate

Indonesian officials face class action lawsuit over wildfire response and regional haze

Community groups allege negligence as dry weather fuels forest fires that have disrupted nearby nations.

Updated Oct 9, 2026 · 14:34 UTC2 reports

The short version

Civil society and Indigenous groups in Indonesian Borneo filed a class action lawsuit accusing the government of gross negligence over ongoing wildfires.[The Guardian]
Smoke from the blazes, worsened by an intense El Niño weather pattern, has drifted across Southeast Asia, triggering school closures in Malaysia.[The Guardian]
Judges adjourned the initial court hearing to October 21 after no defendants appeared, while regional leaders urge decisive action.[Associated Press · The Guardian]

Civil society and Indigenous groups initiated a lawsuit against Indonesian authorities, including President Prabowo Subianto, alleging gross negligence over wildfire management.[The Guardian]
The initial court session in West Kalimantan was postponed to October 21 after none of the named defendants attended.[The Guardian]
The wildfires have been exacerbated by a severe El Niño pattern, spreading toxic haze to Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and the Philippines.[The Guardian]
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to take swift action addressing the causes of the haze.[Associated Press]
A comparable lawsuit presented in South Sumatra the previous year was dismissed by the court.[The Guardian]

Whether the court will accept the lawsuit remains unclear, as a similar suit in South Sumatra was dismissed last year.[The Guardian]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.