Coordinating Minister Zulhas Targets Waste Issues Resolved by May 2028: If Not Sorted, Feel Free to Protest Me

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) has set a deadline for resolving the national waste problem, which has persisted for decades without resolution. The government targets halting open dumping practices no later than May 2028. This statement comes amid increasing government pressure on the waste crisis, now described as reaching emergency levels in various regions. Even President Prabowo Subianto is reportedly taking direct interest and demanding accelerated handling within the next two years. “If we don’t finish it, then you can protest me in May 2028,” said Zulhas, while attending the declaration of the Waste Sorting Movement in the Rasuna Said area, South Jakarta, on Sunday, 10 May 2026. Zulhas revealed that the waste issue has been a major homework for Indonesia for nearly eight decades. In his view, this condition is an irony amid the government’s ambition to elevate Indonesia to a developed nation with modern environmental governance. The government is now relying on accelerating the development of Waste-to-Energy Electricity (PSEL) projects as the backbone of the solution. To date, 71 cities and regencies are said to have signed agreements for building environmentally friendly waste processing facilities based on technology. This step aligns with the implementation of Presidential Regulation No. 109 of 2025 on Accelerating Urban Waste Management into Electricity. “Alhamdulillah, the Jakarta Governor has signed; now 71 cities, yes. In 2027, the target is 50 percent, then by May 2028, including Bantargebang, insya Allah, we will complete it,” explained Zulhas. The government targets accelerating progress in waste management in 71 cities within 22 agglomeration areas. Currently, the programme’s achievement is said to be around 22.5 percent. “We will complete it by May 2028 for the emergency ones, and from then on, open dumping will not be allowed,” he emphasised.