TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - For more than three months, the north gate of the Toba Pulp Lestari's (TPL) pulp mill complex on the edge of Jalan Sigura-gura in Pangombusan village, Toba Samosir Regency, North Sumatra, has remained tightly shut. The forecourt in front of it, roughly the size of five volleyball courts, which was once always filled with giant trucks, now lies empty. On that Tuesday afternoon, March 3, 2026, only a single open-bed truck was parked there.
"Since the end of last November, the gate has rarely been opened," said Rudy Napitupulu, a resident of Pangombusan village. The 49-year-old man's house stands directly opposite the gate through which eucalyptus timber and TPL's finished products once moved in and out.
The Sumatra disaster at the end of November 2025 had disrupted the supply of eucalyptus timber from TPL's concession area. But the supply bottleneck was not the company's final blow. Flash floods and landslides dragged TPL into allegations of environmental violations.
The company, which controls an industrial timber plantation concession spanning 167,912 hectares across 11 regencies and cities in North Sumatra, has been accused of contributing to the disaster. After being temporarily suspended in early December 2025, TPL's permit was ultimately revoked by the Ministry of Forestry on January 26, 2026. Earlier, the Ministry of Environment had also filed a lawsuit seeking Rp3.89 trillion (about US$230 million) in damages—calculated as restoration costs—against the company at the Medan District Court.
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IDX decided to temporarily suspend the trading of PT Toba Pulp Lestari Tbk (INRU) shares following uncertainty over the company's sustainability.
PT Toba Pulp Lestari Responds to Gov't Audit Following Sumatra Flood Concerns
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Anwar Lawden, Director of PT Toba Pulp Lestari Tbk, emphasized that the company fully respects the government's decision.
Environment Ministry Flags Possible Corporate Violations Behind North Sumatra Floods
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The Ministry of Environment or the Environmental Control Agency has summoned eight companies in North Sumatra. The summons is a follow-up to the Sumatra floods, specifically in North Sumatra.
Toba Pulp Lestari Halts Production on Government Order
12 Desember 2025
Toba Pulp Lestari stated the operational halt is in compliance with instructions from the central and regional governments.
Luhut Denies Involvement with Toba Pulp Amid Environmental Damage Claims
4 Desember 2025
Luhut's spokesperson urged all parties to be more cautious when circulating unverified information and to prioritize ethics in the digital space.
Walhi: 7 Companies Responsible for Environmental Damage Behind North Sumatra Floods
28 November 2025
Walhi said the flash floods and landslides were not just caused by Tropical Cyclone Senyar, but were also worsened by deforestation in affected areas.
AMAN: Toba Pulp Lestari Workers Assault Indigenous Residents Guarding Ancestral Land
22 September 2025
Hundreds of workers from the tycoon-owned Toba Pulp Lestari reportedly raided the indigenous community, leaving several people injured.
