19 December 2025. Berlin — As severe flooding continues to displace families and threaten lives across Sumatra, Indonesia, Transparency International is warning that corruption has worsened the impact of the crisis on communities. Illegal land permits and mismanagement of land have driven deforestation, weakening natural flood defences. Transparency International is calling on the Indonesian government to urgently provide emergency aid and halt corruption-driven environmental destruction.
Recent research by Transparency International Indonesia shows that corruption-driven deforestation has significantly worsened the impact of flooding. The government has passed laws that make it easier for companies to obtain permits to clear forests for palm oil, mining, and other industries, undermining environmental protections. Almost two thirds (60%) of the Indonesian Parliament are affiliated with businesses, including palm oil and mining interests.
Evidence from multiple independent sources points to a clear pattern: large-scale deforestation has weakened the ability of Sumatra’s natural hydrological systems to absorb and regulate water, instead increasing runoff, sedimentation and the severity of floods during extreme rainfall.
Maíra Martini, CEO of Transparency International said:
“The damage these floods have caused on communities is even worse because years of corruption have weakened Sumatra’s natural protection against severe weather. The government must act now to protect people – starting with transparent emergency aid support and putting a stop to the corruption that is driving environmental destruction.”
Transparency International is calling for urgent emergency assistance for affected communities and for full transparency and accountability in the use of disaster-related funds to ensure aid reaches those most in need. The NGO is warning that addressing corruption and strengthening environmental governance are essential to reducing future flood risks in Sumatra.
Research by Greenpeace highlights how forest loss and erosion drive higher runoff, while Indonesian environmental NGOs WALHI and Forest Watch Indonesia find that degraded land cover and sedimented rivers – not rainfall alone – are key drivers of worsening floods. Kompas, a prominent Indonesian newspaper, has reported that more than one million hectares of forest have been lost over the past three decades, mostly converted to oil palm plantations.