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

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto delivers his annual State of the Nation Address, ahead of the country's Independence Day, in Jakarta, Indonesia August 15, 2025. BAY ISMOYO/Pool via REUTERS

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.