Residents of Northern Bali are increasing pressure on the authorities and demanding that President Prabowo Subianto fulfill the election promise to build an international airport in the region.
The project has been discussed for almost ten years, but there is no real progress. In light of recent natural disasters and political instability, local communities and royal families are demanding action. President Prabowo declared in 2024 his intention to transform Bali into a “new Singapore or Hong Kong” and included airport construction in the national development plan (Decree No. 12/2025). However, construction has not started yet.
On September 15, 2025, the Royal Council of the island (P3SB), uniting 13 palaces of Bali, officially urged the president to start the work immediately. “Only real commencement of construction will prove that this is not just another political promise,” emphasized the council’s representative, Cokorda Putra Nindya.
Investors are ready: Chinese and Middle Eastern companies have expressed their intention to invest up to 50 trillion rupiah. State-owned companies PT Len Industri and PT Dirgantara Indonesia are also involved in the project. According to the director of BIBU Panji Sakti, Erwanto Adiatmoko, the first runway should be built by 2028.
However, the project faces controversy. The governor of Bali suggested using the existing territory, which provoked protests from local residents. They insist that the airport should be built specifically in Kubutambahan (Buleleng) as stipulated by regulatory acts.
The expectations of Northern Bali residents have reached their limit. Promises have been made, investors are in place, and plans are approved — all that remains is to start construction. The new international airport will become not only a major infrastructure project but also a symbol of a fair approach to the development of the entire island.
Source: antara
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