NTB Inspectorate Finds Flaws in Three Idle Factory Projects from Zul-Rohmi Era
The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Inspectorate has completed an audit of three idle factories located within the Science Technology and Industrial Park (STIPark) in Banyumulek, West Lombok. The audit identified several issues in the cooperation agreement between the NTB Provincial Government and the investor. Inspector Budi Herman stated that the audit report has been finalised but is still being reviewed before being signed and submitted to NTB Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, along with its recommendations. “It is actually finished, the report from yesterday, but I haven’t signed it yet, I am still studying it,” Budi said on Wednesday (29/7/2026).
The audit team found various weaknesses in the drafting of the cooperation agreement. These include clauses in the agreement that were not appropriate and a lack of policy analysis regarding the needs and fundamentals of the cooperation. “There are many, the agreement was not suitable, and there was no policy analysis of the needs, then the basics of the cooperation were not analysed, there are many,” he explained.
Budi emphasised that the decision on the follow-up to the audit findings rests entirely with the regional head. One possible option is to conduct an audit of state losses. “It depends on the leadership, what our needs are. Whether we conduct an audit of state losses or what, that’s the situation there,” Budi stressed. He also clarified that the Inspectorate does not have the authority to decide on the continuation or termination of the contract.
Despite the factories being non-operational, the cooperation agreement between the NTB Provincial Government and the investor, PT Taza Industri Internasional, remains administratively active. The provincial government is still bearing the operational costs for the idle factories. “The cooperation is still running, yes administratively it exists. In fact, we recently paid the electricity bill,” Budi added.
The three factories, which include an animal feed plant, a corn seed processing plant, and a corn drying plant, were built in 2023 under a lease scheme. The project was initiated during the leadership of former Governor Zulkieflimansyah and former Deputy Governor Sitti Rohmi Djalilah. The audit was requested directly by the NTB BRIDA (Regional Research and Innovation Agency).