Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto said the Attorney General’s Office will seize an additional 4 million to 5 million hectares of illegally controlled palm oil plantations in 2026, stepping up a sweeping crackdown on corruption and unlawful exploitation of forest land.

“We have already taken control of and seized 4 million hectares of palm oil plantations that violated the law,” Prabowo said while speaking at a harvest event in Karawang, West Java, on Wednesday, addressing officials from the Attorney General’s Office. “And in 2026, we will seize another 4 to 5 million hectares.”

The president said the land seizures are part of the government campaign to reclaim state resources lost to illegal activities, including unlawful mining. 

“We have acted against hundreds of illegal mines and saved hundreds of trillions of rupiah,” Prabowo said. “There is still illegal activities, and we will keep pursuing it. The resources must truly be enjoyed by all Indonesians. Not a single rupiah should fail to reach the people.”

The president first announced the seizure of 4 million hectares of problematic palm oil land at the end of 2025, describing it as "only the beginning." He said vast areas of forest land remain under illegal control by businesses operating in violation of the law, with potential state losses reaching into the hundreds of trillions of rupiah.

Prabowo said the illegal occupation of forest areas by what he described as “rogue business actors” had gone on for years, often because perpetrators believed they could buy protection from law enforcement officers and state officials.

“They dared to insult the state, assuming that officials at every level could be bought and bribed,” he said.

The president also warned members of the Forest Area Control Task Force, which is responsible for enforcing forest governance, to maintain integrity and professionalism. He urged task force members to remain honest, work with full dedication and resist lobbying efforts by business interests seeking to protect illegally acquired land.

Prabowo said the government’s actions are aimed at restoring public trust and ensuring Indonesia’s natural resources are managed for the benefit of the broader population rather than a narrow group of elites.

The planned expansion of land seizures in 2026 signals the administration’s intention to intensify enforcement, with palm oil plantations and mining operations expected to remain a central focus of Indonesia’s anti-corruption and environmental governance agenda.

Add as a preferred source on Google +