Palm oil expansion in Papua raises eyebrows

Critics warn that Papua could face ecological and social crises if palm oil expansion proceeds unchecked. - The Jakarta Post/ANN

JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto’s aspiration to expand palm oil plantations in Papua for biofuel production has drawn strong backlash from environmentalists, who warn the policy risks repeating the ecological disasters already unfolding in Sumatra.

Prabowo made the remarks during a meeting with Papuan regional leaders in Jakarta on Tuesday (Dec 16), stressing that the country’s easternmost region must achieve self-sufficiency in strategic sectors, including food and energy.