Denpasar City Anniversary Ceremony: Governor Koster Conveys Waste Management Message
Bali Governor Wayan Koster conveyed a number of messages regarding governance and waste management during the opening ceremony of Denpasar City’s 238th anniversary celebration on Friday, 27 February 2026. The messages were delivered by Denpasar City Mayor I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, as Koster was unable to attend in person.
“The Governor’s directives are clear: first, governance management; second, waste management; third, infrastructure; and of course, matters concerning public order and security,” explained Denpasar City Mayor IGN Jaya Negara.
“What has become a priority for 2026 is focusing on waste management. There are two aspects—one is source-based waste handling, and we hope the waste processing and disposal site (PSEL) can operate properly. That is our priority,” said Jaya Negara.
Meanwhile, the Denpasar City Environmental Health and Cleanliness Office (DLHK) participated in the D’Tik Festival exhibition, promoting organic waste management at source using vertical composting technology, compost drums, and compost bags.
At the DLHK booth, free compost bags were distributed to residents with Denpasar City ID cards. “We are aggressively promoting the use of compost bags in households throughout Denpasar,” said Diarsu Dewi, a staff member of the Denpasar City DLHK.
Furthermore, the DLHK demonstrated an innovative waste shredding machine that can be easily made at home using a discarded washing machine motor and a drill combined. Shredding can be performed in a large bucket, with the shredded material then stored in a compost drum.
Ida Bagus Putra Wibawa, head of the Denpasar City DLHK, emphasised source-based waste management. This approach is expected to facilitate subsequent processing steps and help achieve a clean Denpasar City.
“We optimise existing waste processing facilities and encourage residents to separate waste at source, so we can process it more quickly. The city government is now preparing vertical composting systems and compost drums in the hope that villages and communities will process their organic waste,” explained Wibawa.
“We cannot work alone—the government, community, and local organisations must work together to take responsibility for waste management,” Wibawa concluded.
Flag-Raising in Mud
The main ceremony of Denpasar City’s 238th anniversary celebration opened with a flag-raising procession at Lumintang Field. Heavy rain fell until shortly before the event, leaving the field waterlogged. As a result, the ceremony proceeded with flag-raising officers covered in mud stains.
Preparation with 13 days of practice for Denpasar City’s 238th anniversary was relatively brief for the 2025 Denpasar City Sacred Flag-Raising Contingent (Paskibra). They compared it with preparations for the Republic of Indonesia’s 80th anniversary.
“This task was quite challenging—it was our first time. Unlike the Indonesian Republic’s anniversary, which was sunny, this one was quite muddy,” said Theresia Aulia, part of the 2025 Denpasar City Flag-Raising Contingent, in an interview after the opening ceremony of the 238th Denpasar City anniversary celebration on Friday.
Aulia mentioned several difficulties faced during the flag-raising process. “During the marching steps we needed to maintain balance, so we had to support our bodies. Our friends’ shoes also kept coming loose and threatening to fall off,” she added.
The ceremony continued with the presentation of Satyalancana Karya Satya honour medals, awards to Regional Device Organisations (OPD), and recognition for competition winners in the Denpasar City 238th anniversary series. The celebration also included a symbolic birthday cake-cutting ceremony performed by the 2025 Denpasar City Flag-Raising Contingent.