Coordinating Minister AHY Maps Out Institutional Roles in Supporting Bali's Development

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has mapped out the roles and duties of ministries and agencies in supporting Bali’s development. “We are focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, and spatial planning as a single, unified ecosystem package that is inseparable and must be sustainable. This is the future development paradigm for Bali. I am delving into specific parts, but they can be supplemented by various ministries and agencies,” AHY stated in Denpasar on Monday. AHY began by outlining the Coordinating Ministry for Food’s role in coordinating and supervising waste management programmes and waste-to-energy (PSEL) technology, which is new to Bali. The ministry is also tasked with protecting food production land within the Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR) to guarantee food security. For the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, whose Minister Rachmat Pambudy was in attendance, AHY wants Bali’s development to be ensured as integrated between the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) and the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD), as well as to push for funding facilitation. “Without adequate funding, it is difficult for us to carry out development and construction in the region, especially in the infrastructure sector,” AHY said. Thirdly, to the Ministry of Tourism, attended by Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, AHY requested the drafting of a tourist dispersal masterplan to reduce the concentration of visits in South Bali and to integrate destination development with connectivity, basic services, environmental management, and community empowerment. For the Ministry of Creative Economy, attended by Minister Teuku Rifky, AHY encouraged the development of certification and coaching programmes for creative economy players and the promotion of creative economy development in North, West, and East Bali. The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency, attended by Deputy Minister Ossy Dermawan, is to ensure the conformity of the Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW) for the land legality of strategic infrastructure projects and waste issues, the protection of food areas and subak, and to take action against commercial spatial planning violations encroaching on beach and river borders. For the Ministry of Public Works, its support for Bali’s development includes constructing breakwaters based on technical studies and a water taxi system. “This water taxi is certainly expected to be one of the effective solutions. The Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure will follow up with the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Transportation. We also hope the Ministry of Public Works will ensure the optimisation of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle waste processing sites (TPS3R) and regional integrated waste processing sites (TPST),” AHY said. The Coordinating Minister also requested the Ministry of Transportation to assist in preparing a feasibility study for the water taxi network plan on Bali’s southern coast. For this infrastructure matter, AHY also asked state-owned ferry operator PT ASDP to be involved in preparing the technical and operational study. Meanwhile, the Bali Provincial Government was asked to integrate waste management education from an early age into environmental education and local content. “I think this is a task for all of us. Many say it is indeed faster to increase intellectual capacity than to build a clean character and culture for a nation. We learn from advanced countries, modern cities that are clean and orderly,” he said. Furthermore, the regional government is requested to strengthen the enforcement of waste management regulations, form a coordination unit between the regional government and ministries, synchronise district and city spatial plans with the national plan, prepare land, permits, and operational support for priority projects, and strengthen control over land conversion.