Indonesia to crack down on illegal exploitation of resources, president says

15/8/2025 16:18

Indonesia will launch a broader crackdown on the illegal exploitation of natural resources after a survey found that palm plantations on 3.7 million hectares were operating in violation of the law, President Prabowo Subianto said on Friday.



Prabowo added that a total of 5 million hectares of palm plantations have been under scrutiny for operating in protected forest areas, not reporting their actual size, or not responding to summons from auditors.



He made the comments in his first state of the nation speech, delivered as the country - the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil - celebrates 80 years of independence this weekend. Prabowo won a presidential election last year, and took power in October.



"We will ensure that the Indonesian people will not fall victim to greedy economics," Prabowo, speaking in parliament, said, adding that the government had already seized 3.1 million hectares of illegal palm plantations with the help of the military.



In his speech, Prabowo, a former special forces commander known for his aggressive operational tactics, also warned that the state could confiscate assets of companies that "manipulate and violate" Indonesia's laws.