Hoax! Prabowo sells Papuan forests to sustain free meals programme

A post on social media platform Facebook claimed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto described the sale of forests in Papua as a noble act to sustain the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. The post featured a photo of a deforested area alongside an image of Prabowo, narrating as if the President supported selling Papuan forests to finance the MBG programme. The narration in the post stated: “Prabowo affirms, ‘Selling the Papuan forest for the sustainability of MBG is a noble act. MBG is a national priority so that all Indonesian children are healthier and smarter.’”

However, based on an investigation, no official information or statements were found from the government or credible media indicating that President Prabowo Subianto ever mentioned the sale of Papuan forests as a measure to support the MBG programme. The photo of Prabowo in the post is identical to documentation from a Kompas news report when the President visited the VKTR Sakti factory in Magelang on 9 April 2026. That report contained no statements regarding the sale of Papuan forests or the financing of the MBG programme from forest sales proceeds.

Conversely, the government, through the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, continues to promote forest ecosystem conservation, including in the Papua region. As reported by ANTARA, the Papua Natural Resources Conservation Agency is implementing various conservation programmes within the framework of Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030. These initiatives include sustainable forest management, increasing carbon stocks, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and strengthening law enforcement in the forestry sector. Thus, the claim stating President Prabowo is selling Papuan forests to sustain the MBG programme is false information or a hoax.