Academic colonialism concerns haunt rare rafflesia sighting in Sumatra

Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum deputy director Chris Thorogood (left) and ranger Iswandi (right) of the Sumpur Kudus community forest posing with a blooming Rafflesia hasseltii flower on Nov 19, 2025 in Sijunjung regency, West Sumatra. - Handout/Courtesy of Septian Andriki

JAKARTA: The celebratory atmosphere around the rediscovery of a rare species of rafflesia parasitic plant in the past week has been eclipsed by a public relations disaster,

The rediscovery that raised concerns about lingering academic colonialism by Western institutions that often put researchers from places like Indonesia in the back seat of the scientific process.