JAKARTA: The Environment Ministry has named former Jakarta Environment Agency head Asep Kuswanto a suspect in a case pertaining to alleged waste management violations at the Bantar Gebang landfill, which triggered a deadly landslide that killed seven people last month.
Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced the designation on Monday (April 20) night, describing it as part of the government’s commitment to hold accountable those who violate environmental standards, particularly when lives are lost.
“We have provided space [for them to improve] through guidance, monitoring and administrative sanctions. But since those were not heeded, we must move toward legal action,” he said in a statement.
The massive landslide tore through parts of the 110-hectare landfill during heavy rainfall on March 9, killing seven people and injuring six others. The site, located in Jakarta’s neighbouring city of Bekasi in West Java, is managed by the Jakarta Environment Agency.
The avalanche quickly put the agency under intense scrutiny, as it occurred while the ministry was already investigating alleged waste treatment violations at the country’s largest open landfill between Feb 24 and 27.
The probe followed the agency’s failure to comply with administrative sanctions imposed since late 2024. These included requirements for the landfill operator to complete wastewater management facilities and update documentation related to hazardous and toxic waste handling.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, the ministry’s law enforcement deputy Isp. Gen. Rizal Irawan said the investigation was conducted in coordination with the Attorney General Office (AGO) and the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), accusing the agency of violating the 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law.
The law carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a Rp 1 billion (US$58,190) fine for failing to comply with government-imposed administrative sanctions, with the ministry alleging that Asep was responsible for the agency’s noncompliance.
As part of the criminal probe, investigators have questioned several key officials, including local authorities and landfill managers, while also collecting testimony from witnesses and experts.
“In handling this case, we did not immediately launch a criminal probe. Instead, we gave more than one year for the agency [to upgrade the landfill] through existing mechanisms,” Rizal said.
He added that the decision to name Asep a suspect followed consultations with experts, who concluded that the former official could be held accountable in the case.
The ministry also accused Asep of violating the 2008 Waste Management Law, which carries penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of Rp 500 million for negligence in waste management leading to casualties.
Asep had led the agency since 2021 and was replaced by Dudi Gardesi Asikin last week, when Governor Pramono Anung reshuffled 11 senior officials in the Jakarta administration.
Responding to the development, Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno said City Hall would respect the legal process and ensure compliance with the ministry’s recommendations to improve landfill management.
“We are compliant within the law. If it is the consequence, then we have to go through with it," he said on Tuesday.
Bantar Gebang, about 25km from Jakarta, holds more than 80 million tonnes of Jakarta’s waste. Since the March collapse, the city has struggled with waste piling up at illegal dumpsites as the landfill’s capacity continues to decline. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
