Crowds Build at Poto Tano Port Ahead of Sumbawa Island Protest

Passengers are crowding Poto Tano Port in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), as they rush to cross to East Lombok today amid fears that a large-scale protest by the Alliance for the Division of Sumbawa Island (PPS) on 2 June could disrupt travel.

One resident, Zahid Ansori, said he deliberately crossed the port today to avoid being stranded in Lombok during the protests. “Rumours say there will be a PPS demonstration, so I’m returning this afternoon. It’s said the protest will be at the port,” Ansori told detikBali from East Lombok on Sunday (31 May 2026).

Ansori added that the port was busy with long queues, and vehicles were backed up at the entrance toll booths, causing passengers to wait for hours. “The situation is crowded, with vehicles piling up at the entrance toll booths,” he said. “Many residents are trying to cross the port; we’ve been queuing for about two hours,” he added.

However, Erlisetya Wahyudi, General Manager of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry’s Kayangan Branch, denied any passenger congestion at Poto Tano Port. “Our monitoring shows no congestion causing passengers to wait for hours. The crowd is dominated by motorcycles and trucks,” he said. Erli stated the situation remained normal and no additional ferry services were needed. He also urged protesters not to close the port, as it would harm public logistics. “We hope the port is not closed, as this would disrupt logistics for the public,” he added.

The PPS plans a large-scale protest across five regencies and cities on Sumbawa Island on 2 June, demanding the revocation of the moratorium on new autonomous regions (DOB) and the establishment of Sumbawa as a new province. Abdussyahir, chairman of the PPS in Bima City, said protests would be held in West Sumbawa at Poto Tano Port, in Sumbawa Regency at the airport roundabout junction, in Dompu at Banggo Manggelewa junction, in Bima Regency at Talabiu junction and Uma Me’e slope (in front of Bima Airport), and in Bima City at the Pertamina area. The demands include urging the central government through the Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately revoke the DOB moratorium.