“Why do we always learn about palm oil from foreigners?” asks Bandung, who serves as Head of Communications at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI). For him, the question reflects a broader concern: Indonesia is the world’s largest palm oil producer, yet domestic perspectives and locally generated research do not always receive sufficient attention in international and public discussions. Bandung has spent decades working in the plantation sector and is also involved in environmental and scientific organisations. His affiliations include the Governing Board of Peka Indonesia Foundation, the Peat Society of Indonesia and the Entomological Society of Indonesia. His scientific publications cover insect biodiversity, environmental ecology and sustainable landscape management. This background informs his view that palm oil should not be understood solely through plantation acreage and production statistics. He argues that the industry’s social and economic contributions deserve closer examination, particularly in rural communities where plantations and palm oil mills sustain networks of employment and local businesses. A single mill, for example, generates activity extending well beyond its processing operations. Workers earn wages, smallholders sell their fresh fruit bunches (FFB), transport operators move harvested fruit, and local shops, food stalls and workshops serve the surrounding workforce. Bandung describes these interconnected activities as a multiplier effect that requires more comprehensive research and communication. He believes public debate should examine not only land use, deforestation, fires and social conflicts, but also how palm oil-related economic activity affects household incomes, employment opportunities, education and village economies. “How many children can go to school? How many families depend on palm oil? How many villages have more active economies because of it?” he asks. For Bandung, the objective is not to dismiss criticism or question the quality of foreign research. Rather, Indonesia needs stronger domestic research, credible data and a more active role in explaining its own industry. The challenge, he suggests, is to ensure that public perceptions of palm oil are shaped by evidence that reflects both its environmental challenges and its socioeconomic realities.