Indonesia will intensify its fight against the illegal exploitation of natural resources, President Prabowo Subianto announced Friday, after a government survey revealed millions of hectares of palm oil plantations operating in violation of the law.
In his first state of the nation address, delivered ahead of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day, Prabowo said 3.7 million hectares (14,300 square miles) of palm plantations had been found to be unlawful, with investigations covering a total of 5 million hectares. Authorities, supported by the military, have already seized 3.1 million hectares. “We have used the military to accompany the teams that took over the plantations because there often is resistance,” he told parliament.
As the world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil, Indonesia has faced persistent criticism over deforestation, land disputes, and weak enforcement in the sector. Prabowo said his administration would also target illegal mining, citing reports of 1,063 unlawful operations nationwide, though he gave no details on the minerals involved.
The president further pledged to curb commodity hoarding, unveiling new rules requiring large-scale rice mills to obtain government permits to help maintain quality and keep prices affordable.
Prabowo, who took office in October after winning last year’s election, said the measures are part of a wider effort to restore order, safeguard the environment, and ensure fairer distribution of the nation’s resources.
