Indonesia tightens crackdown on illegal exploitation of resources
In his first state of the nation speech, delivered as the country celebrates 80 years of independence, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said that a total of 5 million hectares of palm plantations have been under scrutiny for operating in protected forest areas, not reporting their actual size, or not responding to summons from auditors.
Hanoi (VNA)ꦰ – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said that the country will launch a broader crackdown on the illegal exploitation of natural resources after a survey found that palm plantations on 3.7 million ha were operating in violation of the law.
In his first state of the nation speech, delivered as the country celebrates 80 years of independence, Prabowo said that a total of 5 million hectares of palm plantations have been under scrutiny for operating in protected forest areas, not reporting their actual size, or not responding to summons from auditors.
He said that Indonesian government had already seized 3.1 million ha of illegal palm plantations.
His government is also planning a crackdown on mining after the authorities had received reports more than 1,000 illegal operations throughout the mineral-rich archipelago, he said.
However, he did not specify what type of mines or the commodities they were extracting.
Eddy Martono, head of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), questioned the source of Prabowo’s figures, warning that they could damage Indonesia’s international image by suggesting the country’s palm oil industry is driving deforestation.
Indonesia is currently the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil, the world's largest nickel producer and among the leading exporters of thermal coal, tin and copper./.
Speaking at the opening session of the House of Representatives in Jakarta on August 15, Prabowo said this optimism is based on sound financial management, coupled with economic restructuring and productivity improvements. He also set a target for interest rates to remain at around 6.9%.
Archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia found the small, chipped tools, used to cut little animals and carve rocks, under the soil in the region of Soppeng in South Sulawesi. Radioactive tracing of these tools and the teeth of animals found around the site were dated at up to 1.48 million years ago.
Army battalions comprising thousands of soldiers have been deployed, focusing on agriculture and health tasks throughout Indonesia, particularly in remote areas.
Singapore has been ranked fifth among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, marking the third consecutive year it has remained in the top five.
Senior defence officials of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Philippines discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in defence and weapon industry at their meeting in Seoul on September 15.
From September 16, residents and visitors can enjoy a safer, cleaner, and higher-quality travel option aboard the company’s signature cyan taxis, with special promotions available for new users.
The declaration, endorsed at the ASEAN Prosecutors/Attorneys General Meeting (APAGM) in Bali, commits regional prosecutors to closer coordination in addressing transnational offenses such as online gambling, scams, corruption, money laundering, and cross-border asset smuggling.
CAMEX features 17 themed pavilions, including 10 dedicated to ASEAN member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – as well as a regional pavilion from Guangxi, China. It also hosts a special World Halal Trade Centre and themed areas for other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
The Indonesian government has confirmed that it will stop providing incentives for imported completely built-up (CBU) battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2026.
The ministry warned that the RSV can easily spread through mucus, saliva and toys around children. Currently, there is no specific treatment or RSV vaccine for children, so families were urged to take preventive measures.
Thailand has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets for artificial intelligence (AI), with OpenAI reporting that weekly active users of ChatGPT in the country have quadrupled over the past year.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is driving forward the Land Bridge mega-project, valued at nearly 1 trillion THB (31.5 billion USD), to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment.
A discussion on Vietnamese cuisine, culture and tourism was held in Tel Aviv on September 14, aiming to deepen the understanding of Vietnamese culture and promote people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Israel, especially as the two countries expand cooperation across multiple fields.
Confirmed initiatives include the revival of the popular "Half-Half" co-payment scheme. Other proposals under discussion - though not yet finalised - include the "We Travel Together" tourism stimulus programme, decentralisation efforts and disaster mitigation strategies.
Fidel’s words to the gathered soldiers: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood!” captured the very essence of the friendship forged between the two nations, a relationship nurtured through resilience, dignity, and internationalist spirit.
The satellite Nusantara 5 (N5), launched by Indonesia, is expected to strengthen connectivity in Indonesia's eastern region, supporting distance learning, digital health care, and providing access to information and entertainment for remote communities.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing 17 locations to be designated as specific national strategic areas (KSNT) for blue carbon reserves.
The ASEAN task force is not identical to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) but is intended to serve as a platform for collective discussions and joint actions when ASEAN countries face shared threats.
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 11 agreed to present three ASEAN Leaders’ Declarations at the 47th ASEAN Summit in this October.
