While framed as humor, the satire underscores a deeper concern surrounding President Prabowo Subianto’s repeated calls to expand oil palm plantations as a pillar of Indonesia’s energy self-sufficiency strategy—now increasingly directed toward Papua.
The remarks that reignited public debate were delivered during a closed-door briefing with governors, regents, and mayors from across Papua at the State Palace in Jakarta on December 16, 2025. In that meeting, President Prabowo encouraged large-scale cultivation of oil palm, sugarcane, and cassava in Papua to accelerate national food and energy independence.
Palm Oil as a Political Narrative
Palm oil has long featured prominently in President Prabowo’s public discourse. Throughout 2025, he repeatedly described the commodity as a strategic national asset that must be protected and expanded to support Indonesia’s economy and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
In January 2025, Prabowo sparked controversy by referring to oil palm as a “forest crop,” a claim widely criticized by environmental scientists, who argue that monoculture plantations cannot replicate the ecological functions of natural forests, particularly in carbon absorption and biodiversity protection.
The narrative continued in April 2025 during a forum attended by business leaders and investors, where the president praised palm oil for its high economic value and global demand. Similar statements were echoed in May 2025 at a gathering with retired Indonesian Army officers and members of the security forces, when Prabowo emphasized palm oil’s role not only in food and industry, but also as a key energy source.
In his State of the Nation address before the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August 2025, Prabowo disclosed that government verification had identified 3.7 million hectares of oil palm plantations operating illegally. Of that figure, 3.1 million hectares have since been reclaimed by the state.
“I have ordered the land to be taken back by the state. Anyone who resists the government of the Republic of Indonesia will be confronted,” Prabowo said, referring to the deployment of security forces to secure reclaimed plantation areas.
Papua and the New Frontier of Expansion
The government’s push for palm oil expansion is now increasingly focused on eastern Indonesia, particularly Papua—home to the country’s largest remaining tropical forests. Several ministries and state agencies are coordinating strategic national projects aimed at achieving food, energy, and water self-sufficiency in the region.
One flagship initiative is the Wanam National Strategic Project in Merauke, South Papua, where approximately 474,000 hectares of forest land have been released for agricultural development, including rice fields and energy crops.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry, through the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH), has pledged to oversee the project using Strategic Environmental Assessments (KLHS). Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has stated that development in Papua will adhere to sustainability principles.
However, critics argue that official assurances stand in stark contrast to the ecological realities already unfolding across Indonesia.
Lessons from Sumatra’s Environmental Crisis
Toward the end of 2025, devastating floods and landslides struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, prompting renewed scrutiny of land-use policies. The Ministry of Environment acknowledged that massive land clearing has intensified pressure on watersheds, exacerbating disaster risks.
Satellite data from MapBiomas Indonesia shows that oil palm plantations in the three provinces expanded by 2.6 million hectares between 1990 and 2024. West Sumatra recorded the sharpest increase, from just over 42,000 hectares in 1990 to more than 569,000 hectares in 2024—a growth of 1,250 percent.
Over the past 35 years, oil palm has been identified as the primary driver of forest conversion in Sumatra, turning the 2025 disasters into a stark warning about the consequences of unchecked expansion.
Papua: Indonesia’s Last Forest Stronghold
Environmental groups warn that replicating the same development model in Papua could trigger irreversible damage. Papua is widely regarded as Indonesia’s last major forest frontier.
David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap, reported that the loss of primary forest in Papua has been increasing by approximately 10 percent annually. In 2023, forest loss reached 22,500 hectares, rising to 25,300 hectares in 2024.
According to data from Greenpeace Indonesia, Papua lost a total of 722,256 hectares of forest between 2001 and 2023. South Papua recorded the largest share, followed by West Papua, Central Papua, Southwest Papua, and Papua Highlands.
Uli Arta Siagian, Forest and Plantation Campaign Manager at Walhi Nasional, warned that large-scale palm oil and sugarcane expansion in Papua could deepen ecological crises and fuel land conflicts.
“Communities in Merauke are already experiencing land dispossession, loss of traditional food sources, flooding, violence, and criminalization,” Uli said, referring to ongoing food and energy estate projects.
Ecological Debt and Global Risks
Beyond environmental degradation, critics highlight the concept of “ecological debt”—the cumulative damage resulting from state policies that prioritize extractive industries over conservation and indigenous rights. Carbon emissions from forest conversion, combined with industrial activities, are expected to intensify Indonesia’s contribution to the global climate crisis.
Environmental advocates also warn of economic repercussions. Global markets are becoming increasingly sensitive to deforestation and human rights violations. Persisting with aggressive palm oil expansion could undermine Indonesia’s export competitiveness in the long term.
A Defining Moment for 2026
As Indonesia closes 2025, the debate over palm oil reflects a broader reckoning about development priorities. What began as satire on social media has evolved into a serious national conversation about environmental sustainability, indigenous rights, and the future of Papua.
The year 2026 may prove decisive: whether Indonesia recalibrates its development strategy or continues down a path that critics fear will deepen ecological damage—particularly in Papua, the nation’s last great forest refuge.
Source: Kompas.id
Editor: Olemah News Editorial Team
Website: www.olemah.com
Published: January 01, 2026
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