BADUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – The Bali Provincial Government, together with the Bali Provincial Legislative Council’s Special Committee on Spatial Planning, Agrarian Affairs, and Land Issues (Pansus TRAP), has ordered an immediate halt to reclamation activities at Sawangan Beach, following an on-site inspection on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
The project, carried out by PT Kedaung Group Badung, was stopped after authorities confirmed that no official permits had been issued for the reclamation work. Head of Bali’s Marine and Fisheries Agency, Gede Trisna Wijaya, stated that his office had not granted any recommendation or approval for the activity.
“After reviewing the documents submitted to us, they were not permits but merely clarifications and information. Until now, the Marine and Fisheries Agency has not issued any recommendation,” Trisna said.
Under Indonesian law, coastal waters up to 12 nautical miles fall under provincial authority, while areas beyond that are managed by the central government, as stipulated in Law No. 27 of 2007 on Coastal and Small Island Management.
Authorities noted that the reclamation activity covered an area of approximately 20 hectares adjacent to Sawangan Beach and raised concerns over its potential impact on nearby sacred sites, including Pura Batu Belah and Pura Batu Belig.
Chair of Pansus TRAP DPRD Bali, Made Suparta, emphasized that the construction of wave breakers beyond the 100-meter coastal setback from the highest tide line legally constitutes reclamation.
“This wave breaker is reclamation. Activities carried out beyond the 100-meter coastal boundary from the highest tide clearly fall under reclamation,” Suparta said.
Kristian, the project representative from PT Kedaung Group Badung, explained that the work was initiated to address coastal abrasion at Sawangan Beach. He said the company had previously received guidance from Balai Wilayah Sungai Bali Penida, which they initially believed constituted approval.
“There was abrasion along the beach. During the application process, we were advised by BWS to secure the cliff area above, where Pura Batu Belig is located. At first, we thought this document was a permit,” Kristian said.
However, further checks revealed that the document from BWS Bali Penida was only a request or recommendation proposal and not a formal permit authorizing reclamation.
Badung DPRD member I Wayan Luwir Wiana said the case highlighted overlapping technical authority between the Bali Marine and Fisheries Agency and BWS Bali Penida. He confirmed that PT Kedaung Group Badung would be summoned for a formal hearing.
“We will examine this further in a hearing. The company will be called because the reclamation has caused environmental damage, including the disruption of sacred water sources and the relocation of a river,” Luwir said.
The Bali government and Pansus TRAP stated that further evaluation and enforcement steps will follow to ensure compliance with coastal regulations and to protect the environmental and cultural integrity of the Sawangan area.