National

Wildfire Protest in C. Kalimantan: Governor's Office Sealed Off

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 20, 2026•3 min read

Hundreds sealed the Central Kalimantan governor's office on Monday (19/10/2026) after Governor Agustiar Sabran failed to return, issuing a 72-hour ultimatum.

Key Facts

Senin (19/10/2026), ratusan warga Aliansi Masyarakat Kalimantan Tengah Melawan menggelar aksi demonstrasi Jilid III bertajuk 'Peringatan Darurat Karhutla dan Kabut Asap' di depan Kantor Gubernur Kalimantan Tengah, Palangka Raya.
Gubernur Kalteng Agustiar Sabran sempat menemui massa sekitar pukul 13.00 WIB, lalu berpamitan menunaikan shalat Ashar sekitar pukul 15.30 WIB dengan janji kembali — namun tidak kembali hingga aksi bubar.
Massa yang kecewa menerobos pagar pembatas sekitar pukul 16.15 WIB dan membentangkan spanduk bertuliskan 'KANTOR DISEGEL RAKYAT' secara simbolis di depan pintu masuk utama Aula Jayang Tingang.
Koordinator lapangan Sugianto memberi ultimatum 3×24 jam agar Pemprov Kalteng memberi tanggapan serius, atau massa akan kembali dengan jumlah lebih besar. Tuntutan utama: karhutla ditetapkan sebagai bencana nasional.
Kapolres Palangka Raya AKBP Yudha Satria menyatakan aksi berlangsung damai, sempat terjadi ketegangan saat massa mendorong pagar, namun tidak ada penangkapan maupun kerusakan gedung yang signifikan.

Governor Leaves and Fails to Return

Hundreds of residents joined under the Central Kalimantan People Against Alliance held a Chapter III protest in front of the Central Kalimantan Governor's Office in Palangka Raya on Monday (19/10/2026). The rally, titled 'Emergency Warning for Forest and Land Fires and Smog', grew heated after Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran, who had briefly met the crowd, left the premises and did not return as promised.

Residents' frustration peaked as the crowd broke through perimeter barriers into the front yard of the governor's office. In front of the main entrance to Jayang Tingang Hall, they unfurled a banner reading 'OFFICE SEALED BY THE PEOPLE' as a symbolic protest against what they deemed sluggish handling of karhutla (kebakaran hutan dan lahan - forest and land fires).

Sealing Banner and Nine Wildfire Demands

Protest field coordinator Sugianto stated that the crowd had been waiting since midday, but the governor never returned. According to him, Agustiar instead left to meet other officials out of town—a move that deeply disappointed the demonstrators. Sugianto added that the public has run out of patience waiting for serious action on the wildfires that have suffocated Central Kalimantan residents for months.

During the demonstration, the crowd submitted nine demands. These included declaring a state of disaster emergency for forest and land fires and smog across all of Central Kalimantan, conducting a comprehensive environmental audit of plantation and mining permits, imposing a moratorium on issuing new permits on peatlands, enforcing the law against land-burning corporations, and ensuring transparency in disaster management funds.

72-Hour Ultimatum

The demonstrators also issued a firm ultimatum to the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government. 'If within three times 24 hours there is no serious response from the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government, we will return with a larger crowd,' Sugianto said. The primary demand urged by the crowd was declaring the wildfires a national disaster—a call also echoed by BEM UI (Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa Universitas Indonesia - Student Executive Board of Universitas Indonesia), which joined the Chapter III action with a 48-hour deadline.

As of 21:00 WIB (Waktu Indonesia Barat - Western Indonesia Time), neither Governor Agustiar Sabran nor the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government had issued an official written statement specifically addressing the nine demands.

Authorities: Peaceful Protest, No Arrests

Chief of Palangka Raya City Police AKBP (Ajun Komisaris Besar Polisi - Police Grand Commissioner Attendant) Yudha Satria stated that authorities respect citizens peacefully voicing their aspirations. He noted that brief tension arose when protesters pushed the perimeter fence, but the situation was brought under control and concluded peacefully.

Yudha emphasized that there were no arrests and no significant damage to buildings. He urged all parties to remain orderly and express their aspirations through lawful channels without violating regulations.