Politics · Indonesia · 1 hr ago
Lutfi Rejects Calls to Exclude Indonesia from ASEAN over Haze
Former Indonesian trade minister Muhammad Lutfi opposed calls to exclude Indonesia from ASEAN over haze from forest and land fires.
The calls came from a Malaysian politician, who cited the haze as grounds for isolating Indonesia.
Lutfi said suspected land burning involved palm oil companies and argued that companies, not an entire country, should be investigated.
He said Indonesian crude palm oil had long been sent to Malaysia and Europe for processing into higher-value products, while Indonesia is now expanding domestic processing.
Lutfi also said companies from Malaysia operate in Indonesia and cited fire hotspots on land linked to KL Kepong, Genting and TSH.
He urged scrutiny of those firms and their supply chains, rather than treating Indonesia as a whole as responsible.
Former Indonesian trade minister Muhammad Lutfi rejected a Malaysian politician’s call to exclude Indonesia from ASEAN over haze from forest and land fires.
Lutfi said the issue should not be used to isolate Indonesia, and argued that companies involved in palm oil should be investigated.
He said Malaysian companies operating in Indonesia were part of the palm oil industry and that some fire hotspots were on concessions linked to Malaysian companies.
Lutfi said Indonesia’s move to process more palm oil domestically had reduced supplies of cheap crude palm oil to overseas refineries.
- Who
- Former Indonesian trade minister Muhammad Lutfi responded to a Malaysian politician who called for Indonesia to be excluded from ASEAN.
- What
- Lutfi rejected the call, arguing that companies linked to fires and palm oil supply chains should be held accountable rather than an entire country.
- When
- October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Indonesia and ASEAN; Lutfi also referred to Malaysian companies operating in Indonesia and refineries in Europe.
- Why
- A Malaysian politician called for Indonesia to be excluded from ASEAN over haze from forest and land fires.
Malaysian politician calling for exclusion
Muhammad Lutfi
Response to haze
Malaysian politician calling for exclusion
Called for Indonesia to be excluded from ASEAN over haze linked to forest and land fires.
Muhammad Lutfi
Said the haze issue should not lead to Indonesia’s exclusion.
Accountability
Malaysian politician calling for exclusion
Targeted Indonesia over the haze.
Muhammad Lutfi
Said companies and their supply chains should be investigated instead of making the whole country a target.
Lutfi said crude palm oil from Indonesia was shipped to Malaysia and Europe for processing into higher-value products.
Lutfi responded to a Malaysian politician’s call to exclude Indonesia from ASEAN over haze.
- Speaker
- Muhammad Lutfi, former Indonesian trade minister
- Call
- A Malaysian politician called for Indonesia to be excluded from ASEAN
- Fire hotspots
- 19 were on KL Kepong concessions in Indonesia
- Other linked concessions
- Lutfi cited former fire areas linked to Genting and TSH concessions
- Biodiesel
- Indonesia is promoting palm oil processing for domestic cooking oil and B30, B40 and B50 biodiesel programs
What people are saying
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