Several Non-Pecalang Officials Criticised in Bali Pecalang Pasikian Leadership Structure

Persadha Nusantara Bali has criticised the decision by the Majelis Desa Adat Bali (MDA Bali) to ratify and inaugurate the administrators of the Majelis Prajuru Pasikian Pecalang Bali, because a number of the administrators do not have a track record as pecalang.

Chairman of Persadha Nusantara Bali, I Ketut Sae Tanju, questioned why some leaders within the structure come from neither active pecalang nor a clear pecalangan background.

‘This condition risks creating a mismatch between the aims of establishing the body and its representation,’ said Sae, on Thursday (5 March 2026).

Logically, he said, an organisation or professional association should ideally be led and staffed by people who come from that profession.

‘This analogy emphasises that the moral and functional legitimacy of an institution is determined by the alignment between the organisation’s identity and its leadership structure,’ he explained.

Persadha Nusantara Bali also visited the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD Bali) to present its proposals and aspirations so that a Public Hearing (Rapat Dengar Pendapat, RDP) could be held to discuss the matter.

‘However, to date our demands and proposals have not received adequate attention, let alone concrete actions to resolve the various issues we have raised,’ Sae said.

He views this as giving the impression of tolerating fundamental issues relating to the governance of adat institutions.

Sae stressed that the criticisms are not intended to discredit any party; rather, they are a form of concern for the marwah (dignity) of pecalang as an adat institution with history, honour and a strategic role in Balinese society.

‘We encourage open evaluation and wise dialogue to ensure that Majelis Prajuru Pasikian Pecalang truly represents pecalang in both structural and substantive terms,’ Sae concluded.