Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has confirmed President Prabowo Subianto's ownership of PT Tusam Hutani Lestari in Aceh, which donated 20,000 hectares of forest land for elephant conservation. This exceeds the initial request of 10,000 hectares and is allocated for an elephant corridor in partnership with WWF. The statement was made during a press conference at the Presidential Palace on December 15, 2025.
During a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, December 15, 2025, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni addressed President Prabowo Subianto's ownership of PT Tusam Hutani Lestari (THL). The company has been linked to environmental damage issues in Aceh, but according to Raja Juli, Prabowo has demonstrated strong commitment to forest and wildlife preservation.
Raja Juli explained that Prabowo was asked to donate 10,000 hectares of his forest utilization business permit (PBPH) concession in THL, Aceh. Instead, Prabowo provided 20,000 hectares. "He (Prabowo) was asked to donate 10,000 hectares of PBPH owned by him in Tusam Hutani Lestari in Aceh. He then gave 20,000 hectares," said Raja Juli.
The entire PBPH concession of PT THL has been allocated for building an elephant corridor in Aceh, developed in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). "The entire PBPH concession (of PT THL) was handed over to create the elephant corridor that is now standing with WWF; we work closely," he added. Raja Juli confirmed that PT Tusam Hutani Lestari is owned by Prabowo and has been surrendered for the conservation project.
However, Raja Juli did not respond to questions about Prabowo's position or role in the company's structure. On social media, documents from the Directorate General of General Legal Administration of the Ministry of Law have sparked discussion, listing Edhy Prabowo as the company's Managing Director. Edhy Prabowo is a convict in a bribery case involving lobster farming permits, sentenced to five years in prison, a fine of Rp400 million or six months' imprisonment, restitution of Rp9.68 billion, and 77,000 US dollars at the first instance.
This initiative highlights efforts to conserve elephants in Aceh, even as the company's ownership remains a topic of public discussion.
