Buleleng DPRD Plenary Delayed by Two Hours Amid Low Attendance

An unusual scene unfolded during a plenary session of the Buleleng Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on Thursday (9/7/2026), as many seats were left empty and the meeting was delayed by two hours. The session was scheduled to hear the general views of factions on two draft local regulations. Speculation arose that the legislators’ absence was linked to the dynamics of discussing the regulations, but DPRD Buleleng Chairman Ketut Ngurah Arya denied this. Arya asserted that the empty seats were not due to internal disagreements. He explained that all absent members had submitted official leave requests. ‘Several colleagues requested leave yesterday to attend a cremation ceremony. There are also five people who are unwell and therefore could not attend,’ Arya said. He confirmed that the absence of over a dozen members did not affect the proceedings, as the quorum was met with 32 out of 45 members present. ‘The quorum is more than 23 members. With 32 in attendance, the session remains legally valid. All those absent also provided leave letters,’ Arya stated. He also dismissed the notion that the empty seats were related to the dynamics causing the two-hour delay. According to Arya, the delay occurred because the DPRD leadership held internal discussions regarding the factions’ views on the plenary agenda. Additionally, the council was still aligning its perceptions with the executive branch concerning the draft regulations, meaning the session only delivered the factions’ general views without reaching any conclusions. ‘All factions were present, and the faction leaders were also in attendance,’ Arya stressed.