Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto leaves after delivering his annual State of the Nation Address ahead of the country's Independence Day, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Aug. 15, 2025. -- Bay Ismoyo/Pool Photo via AP
JAKARTA (Reuters): 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 (14,300 square miles) were operating in violation of the law, President Prabowo Subianto said on Friday.
The area is almost the size of Switzerland. 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.
