KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) today said it will cooperate with the Indonesian authorities in the investigation into forest fires on the estates owned by subsidiary, P.T. Adei Plantation and Industry (P.T. Adei).
P.T.Adei on Friday was named by Indonesia as one of the Malaysian-linked companies being investigated as contributor to forest fires in Riau.
In a statement on Saturday, the group confirmed the occurrence of a hotspot area which affected 2.8 hectares (ha) of the 14,400 ha estate managed by P.T. Adei and it happened during an unusually acute dry spell where rain was recorded on only two days out of the last 60.
“At present, 4.25ha, which includes an isolation area has been sealed off for on-going investigations.
“P.T. Adei will continue to give full support to the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry and all relevant authorities to assist in the on-going investigation of the case,” it said.
KLK said it acknowledged the Indonesian government’s seriousness and efforts in tackling this complex issue and would support these efforts.
“KLK wishes to reiterate its zero burning policy and is in full compliance with the Asean Policy on ZeroBurning for all its plantations operations.
“The group is serious in its firefighting agenda and has fully equipped firefighting teams on its estates, which carry out a yearly-certified firefighting training and practice strict patrolling system, which includes setting up of fire towers to inform ground patrol of any occurrence of fire,” it said.
Previously, Malaysia’s Primary Industries Minister, Teresa Kok Suh Sim had expressed concern over the sealing of land belonging to the subsidiaries of four major Malaysian-owned oil palm plantation companies in Indonesia, allegedly due to the fires that contributed to the haze problem in the region.
Other than KLK, other named companies were Sime Darby Plantation, IOI Corporation and TDM. -- BERNAMA