December 30, 2025 | 09:58 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Facebook account [archive] uploaded a video claiming that the PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) Morowali airport was seized on December 17, 2025.
The short video shows several security officers setting up police lines at the airport. The seizure was linked to IMIP's status as operating without an operational permit.
Is it true that the video shows the seizure of IMIP Airport because it is illegal?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the claim through a Google image search and compared it with credible media reports. The results indicate that the incident was not a seizure of IMIP Airport, but rather a military training exercise.
The TNI held the training exercise at PT IMIP Airport in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. The following day, media outlets such as Metro TV, CNN Indonesia, Nusantara TV, Banjarmasin Pos News Video, and Kompas TV Palu broadcast news of the activity.
A total of 26,998 personnel from across the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) participated in the integrated joint command training exercise to improve the operational readiness and capabilities of all TNI elements.
According to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) website, one of the training scenarios was a simulation of forcing a foreign aircraft to land for violating Indonesian airspace. As soon as defense radar detected suspicious movement, the air command immediately deployed three Sukhoi Su-27/30s from Air Squadron 11 at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base to pursue and intercept.
After the foreign aircraft landed, personnel from the Air Base Military Police Unit, along with soldiers from the Rapid Response Forces Corps, tightened security around the landing site.
IMIP Airport Controversy
The existence of IMIP Airport has sparked controversy. Tempo reported that Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin questioned the fact that the operations of PT IMIP's airport in Central Sulawesi were not monitored by Customs or Immigration last November.
According to Dedy Kurniawan, Media Relations Manager for PT IMIP, IMIP Airport is registered with the Ministry of Transportation. Airport operations refer to Article 247 of Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation. The Indonesian government, regional governments, or legal entities can build special airports to support specific activities if they have obtained a construction permit from the Minister of Transportation.
Through Decree Number KM 38 in August 2025, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi designated IMIP Airport as an international airport. After Sjafrie questioned IMIP Airport's operations, Dudy revoked the international status of the airport located in Central Sulawesi.
The revocation is stipulated in the Minister of Transportation Decree Number KM 55 of 2025, which was uploaded to the Ministry of Transportation's official website on Friday, November 28, 2025.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the claim about the IMIP airport seizure video is misleading.
TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM
**Do you have information or claims that you want to have fact-checked? Contact our ChatBot. You can also send criticism, objections, or feedback for this Fact-Checking article via email to [email protected].
Fact Check: AI-Generated Video Falsely Shows Tornado Under Red Sky in Pandeglang
1 hari lalu
Fact check - The red sky phenomenon did occur in Pandeglang Regency, but there was no tornado.
Fact Check: Misleading Claim Says Australia Demanded Return of Aceh Tsunami Aid
1 hari lalu
Fact check - To date, the Australian government has never asked for the earthquake and tsunami aid to be returned.
Fact Check: Video of UI Student Urging Probe of Komnas HAM Is Fake
5 hari lalu
Fact check - The video circulating is the result of artificial intelligence (AI).
Fact Check: Claim on Brain Clot Test After Covid-19 Vaccine Is False
6 hari lalu
Fact check - Patients who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 do not need to undergo routine D-dimer testing.
Fact Check: False Narrative in Bandung and Cirebon Flood Video
7 hari lalu
Fact check - The content features a video showing flash floods in different contexts, including those created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Fact Check: AI Videos Falsely Show Tigers Saved in Sumatra Floods
8 hari lalu
Fact check - The videos in circulation were made using artificial intelligence (AI).
Fact Check: Ronaldo Aid Video to Aceh Is False
11 hari lalu
Fact check - Some of the videos circulating are from different events and are the result of AI.
Fact Check: True, White Flags in Aceh Were a Call for Help
12 hari lalu
Fact check - Acehnese people raised the white flag to seek help in disaster management.
Fact Check: AI Generated Videos Falsely Claim TNI Is Probing Illegal Logging in Sumatra
13 hari lalu
Fact check - The videos circulating were created with artificial intelligence (AI).
Fact Check: Claims of Bodies in Cars After Aceh Floods Are False
14 hari lalu
Fact check - The Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and the Aceh Tamiang Police denied this information.
