InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The Chief of General Staff of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Lieutenant General Richard Tampubolon, directly participated in the operation to enforce illegal palm oil land conducted by the Garuda Task Force for Forest Area Enforcement (PKH). This operation aims to return state assets located in forest areas for the welfare of the community.
According to Richard, the presence of the TNI in this operation is not to take over law enforcement duties but to support the effectiveness of the enforcement and reduce potential conflicts on the ground. He emphasized that the primary responsibility for law enforcement remains under the authority of the police and the prosecutor's office, while the TNI acts as a security force to ensure the process runs smoothly and safely.
“We refer to Article 7 Paragraph (2) of Law No. 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI, which states that one of the tasks of Military Operations Other Than War (OMSP) is to assist the government in law enforcement and maintaining public order,” Richard stated, who previously served as the Commander of the Joint Defense Command III, as reported by InfoSAWIT from infosumbar.net on Monday (March 31, 2025).
The Garuda PKH Task Force has enforced several lands managed by palm oil plantation companies, including PT Agro Bukit with an area of 3,798.9 hectares, PT Mulia Agro Permai (MAP) 1,276 hectares, PT Mananjung Hayak 1,728 hectares, and PT GAP with an area of 12,069.39 hectares. This enforcement was carried out simultaneously in 19 provinces, from North Sumatra to Papua.
Since the operation began on February 24 until March 18, 2025, the team has successfully returned 317 thousand hectares of forest area to the state. In Central Kalimantan alone, approximately 312 thousand hectares of land was found to be under control not in accordance with applicable regulations. Richard emphasized that hundreds of thousands of hectares of land remain targets for future enforcement.
“These lands will be returned to the state to support community welfare, in line with the vision and mission of President Prabowo Subianto. This is a tangible proof that the state is present to address issues in the regions comprehensively,” he added.
In addition to returning state assets, this operation also aims to accelerate environmental protection efforts and ensure more sustainable utilization of forest areas.
“This effort is not just about law enforcement, but also about preserving the environment and ensuring that state land is used for the right purposes,” concluded Richard, who is also known as the Chairman of the Indonesian Taekwondo Association (PB TI). (T2)
