President Prabowo Subianto has issued a warning to the Bali provincial government and regional leaders over the persistent problem of waste piling up on the island’s beaches. He said the issue could damage Bali’s image as Indonesia’s leading tourism destination.
Prabowo made the statement during the 2026 National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) of the central and regional governments at the Sentul International Convention Centre in Bogor, West Java, on Monday (January 2, 2026).
According to the president, tourism remains Bali’s main economic sector and should be easy to develop. However, he said trash on beaches discourages tourists from returning.
“Excuse me, governors, regents of Bali, this is real. In December 2025, Bali’s beaches will be [filled with trash]. How will tourists want to come there? Look at the trash?” Prabowo said.
He added that the situation required firm action from local governments and said he had issued an ultimatum to regional leaders to address the issue.
President Suggests Local Regulations and Public Involvement
The president also shared feedback he had received from officials in South Korea regarding the condition of Bali’s beaches. He said he accepted the criticism as input for improving Indonesia’s waste management.
“In Korea, I met with prominent figures, ministers, and generals. Sometimes, like soldiers everywhere, they don’t use small talk and just speak frankly. He told me, ‘Your Excellency, I just came from Bali. Oh, Bali is so dirty now. Bali’s not nice.’ But I accepted that as a correction,” Prabowo said.
Bali Governor I Wayan Koster later responded, saying that the trash accumulating on Bali’s beaches was carried in from outside the region during the rainy season.
Government Forms Task Force to Address Marine Debris
Following the president’s remarks, the Ministry of Tourism and the Bali Provincial Government announced further steps to address the issue. Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Enik Ermawati, also known as Ni Luh Puspa, said coordination was underway, including the formation of a Beach Waste Task Force.
“The Bali Provincial Government will soon establish a Beach Waste Task Force specifically stationed in the Kuta Beach area. This task force will be tasked with responding quickly to marine debris,” Ni Luh said on Tuesday (February 3, 2026), as quoted by Detiknews.
She said the Ministry of Tourism, together with other stakeholders, had implemented several initiatives, including the Clean Tourism Movement (GWB).
“Therefore, in 2025, the Ministry of Tourism, in accordance with the direction of Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, created the Clean Tourism Movement (GWB) programme, with Bali as one of the programme’s locations,” she said.
According to Ni Luh, the programme aims to raise awareness among the government, the public, and tourists about waste management. It also introduced guidelines for managing plastic waste at marine tourism destinations.
She added that a Marine Debris Management Coordination Team had also been formed, led by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan.
Ni Luh said that, based on reports from Governor I Wayan Koster, the trash seen at Kuta Beach was seasonal marine debris carried by strong ocean currents during the rainy season.
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Private Sector Initiatives Highlight Waste Management Solutions
Efforts to address Bali’s waste problem have also drawn participation from the private sector. As shown by @chrisgiacobbecomedy’s video, Tobias Wilson, Founder of Shiva Industries, said waste reduction initiatives are increasingly focused on practical solutions for managing organic waste at the source.
Shiva Industries is known as a manufacturer of on-site rapid composters, which process kitchen and other organic waste into compost within approximately 24 hours.
According to numerous reports in national media, the technology has been tested across multiple sectors, including hospitals and airports, and is currently used by several hospitality operators.
As a manufacturer of on-site organic waste processing systems, the company focuses on reducing waste volume, lowering emissions, and cutting disposal costs by supporting circular economy practices.
