Koster Says Badung Waste Case Not Handled by Bareskrim, But by LH's Gakkum
Bali Governor Wayan Koster has confirmed that the waste management issue in Badung Regency has now entered the investigation stage by law enforcement authorities. However, he denied that the case is being handled by the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), stating instead that the Directorate General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Environment (LH) is overseeing it.
Earlier during a visit to Bali, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol said that the handling of waste at the Suwung Final Disposal Facility (TPA Suwung) had entered the investigation stage. He stressed that the commitment of regional leaders is a stake in resolving the environmental crisis.
“Not (Mabes Polri), it’s Gakkum of the Ministry of Environment. The Minister has taken a firm policy; if there are violations, sanctions will be imposed,” Koster said at a coordination meeting at Puspem Badung on Friday (6/3/2026).
Koster instructed all village heads (perbekel), urban ward heads (lurah), and customary village chiefs (bendesa adat) in Badung to immediately consolidate efforts to intensify sorting of organic and non-organic waste at the source. He emphasised that waste processing should be completed at the household or village level using composters and the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (TPS3R) waste processing facilities.
“So that all villages, urban wards, and customary villages coordinate promptly to carry out source-based waste sorting and processing. There are administrative sanctions, and there are criminal sanctions in accordance with the rules,” Koster asserted regarding consequences for non-compliance.
Badung Regent I Wayan Adi Arnawa also voiced support for central government’s firm action, noting that his region’s position is already on the law-enforcement radar. He called on all village-level apparatus and communities to act quickly to avoid criminal liability due to environmental mismanagement.
“What’s clear is that our position in Badung has reached the investigation stage. Therefore, I don’t want there to be any perbekel, camats, other officials, managers, or community members drawn into that realm,” Adi Arnawa said at the meeting.
The Badung Regency Government also assured funding through the Regional Revenue and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD) for the procurement of facilities such as modern waste-processing teba, compost bins, and compost bags for residents. Adi Arnawa ordered all local government units within the regency to establish a ‘godfather’ (bapak angkat) system to monitor progress of facility readiness in each village starting from March.
“March is already underway, including one of them being modern teba. This is important, so I will receive reports and if the instruction is not carried out, I may issue warnings or reprimands as the regent,” he concluded.
(hsa/hsa)