Speaking at the 2026 National Coordination Meeting of the Central and Regional Governments in Bogor, West Java, on Monday, the president said he had received reports on Bali’s poor waste conditions during discussions with ministers and senior military officials while visiting South Korea.
Prabowo noted that waste management has become a critical issue nationwide, including in Bali, warning that many landfills across Indonesia are projected to exceed their capacity within the next few years.
He said waste pollution on Bali’s beaches poses a serious threat to tourism, which has long been the island’s main source of employment and economic activity.
In response, Prabowo encouraged regional governments, particularly in Bali, to mobilize elementary, junior high, and senior high school students to take part in community cleanup programs, including beach cleanups.
These activities, he said, should be carried out on a regular basis and involve multiple stakeholders, such as local governments, the military, the police, and state-owned enterprises.
He stressed that environmental cleanup efforts should not be limited to ceremonial actions or mutual blame, but must be based on concrete and sustainable measures.
Prabowo also reaffirmed the central government’s readiness to lead and support waste management initiatives for the public good.
On the same occasion, he highlighted waste-to-energy power plant projects planned in 34 cities, with construction expected to begin soon and operations targeted to start within the next two years.
The projects are expected to provide a medium-term solution to reducing waste volumes in urban areas.
In the near future, the government also plans to launch the Indonesia ASRI environmental cleanup movement, requiring all government institutions to take an active role in maintaining cleanliness in their respective environments.
“I do not want to see any plastic waste or trash around the offices of state-owned enterprises. All officials in ministries and agencies should spend at least half an hour cleaning their surroundings before starting work,” he said.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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