Bali's Governor, Wayan Koster, is actively "cleaning up" the island.
He personally oversees the removal of machinery from construction sites and has already signed an order prohibiting any new tourist projects on agricultural lands. Starting in 2025, permits for building hotels and other facilities on fertile plots will cease: "Not a single new permit for the use of agricultural land for tourism," Koster stated.
The initial steps of the new policy are already visible. In Jimbaran, the Step Up building had to be forcedly "reduced" to the standard height, and almost fifty illegal structures were dismantled on Bingin Beach. Koster is determined: "Am I afraid? No," he says, watching another demolition. This is all part of his century-long development plan for Bali from 2025 to 2125, where preserving nature is more important than quick tourism profits.
Now, dubious massage parlors, closed spa centers, and any facilities that, according to the governor, "lower the island's energy level" or deplete natural resources, are banned. "I will fight against everything that pollutes Bali," emphasizes Koster.
He also hinted at the existence of a list of nine locations where similar inspections are being prepared. Details are kept secret until a special meeting with the regional council. The deputy speaker of the council, I Wayan Diesel Astawa, noted that demolishing all already built structures under the new decree is impossible; legal disputes and selective decisions are anticipated.
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