A major scandal is unfolding in Munggu. The popular Padel club Jungle Padel Seseh, which opened shortly before the New Year, has fallen victim to bureaucratic chaos between Indonesia's central government and Bali's provincial authorities. Despite having electronic permits, the club has been officially sealed, leaving the investors in complete bewilderment.
A special committee on spatial planning and licensing (Pansus TRAP) of Bali's legislative assembly conducted a surprise inspection of Jungle Padel Seseh. The outcome was grim: police tape was stretched across the gates of the sports club, and its operations were completely halted.
The issue lies in the land. According to the local master plan (RDTR), the club is built on protected agricultural land (LP2B). In Indonesia, such land is designated as untouchable for commercial development to preserve the island's food security.
“This is LP2B land, so permits will never be issued here. Anyone who dares to issue a license here could face criminal charges,” said commission chairman I Made Supartha.
The main victim of the property dispute is Swedish investor and co-founder of PT Jungle Padel Bali, Staffan Sitton. According to him, the company acted legally and processed all documents through the government's OSS (Online Single Submission) system—a one-stop service for investors created by Indonesia's central government.
“In the OSS system, we saw that this area was marked in orange,” Sitton explained.
An orange zone typically signifies mixed-use development, where commercial premises are allowed. However, Bali authorities objected: digital maps from the central government do not always match the real zoning maps on the ground. Legislators emphasized that investors must cross-check with local plans (RDTR) and not blindly trust the federal application.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Jungle Padel is a large network, with seven branches in Bali and one in Surabaya. The Seseh club only opened on December 1, 2025, and has not even been in operation for a month.
The authorities accuse the establishment of violating several laws:
- Law No. 41 of 2009 on the Protection of Agricultural Land.
- New Bali regulation from December 29, 2025, which tightens controls over land reclassification and prohibits the use of 'nominal' owners.
Despite strict measures, Bali authorities claim they are not “against investors.” They merely demand strict adherence to land-use rules. However, for foreign entrepreneurs, this situation has become a troubling signal: having a government permit (OSS) no longer guarantees business security in Bali if the local administration has a different opinion about your land.
For now, Jungle Padel Seseh remains closed, and its future is uncertain.
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