/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/ is in texlive-metapost 2009-15.
This file is owned by root:root, with mode 0o755.
..
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/TEX.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/boxes.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/format.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/graph.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/marith.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/mfplain.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/mpost.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/plain.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/rboxes.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/sarith.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/string.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/texnum.mp
/usr/share/texmf-texlive/metapost/base/troffnum.mp