Hundreds of Balinese Coastal Residents Protest Against Planned Reclamation

Nusa Dua, Bali (Antara) - Hundreds of Balinese coastal residents on jet skis and parasailing boats staged a rally in the Benoa Bay on Friday to protest against the planned reclamation of the Balinese coasts. Chief of the Regional Council of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), I Wayan Suardana, said the local people's rejection of the planned reclamation of the Balinese coasts had not received a response from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "This is evident by the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 51/2014 to replace Presidential Regulation No. 45/2011 on Sarbagita Urban Spatial Layout Plan," he said. In essence, the issuance of the Presidential Regulation No. 51/2014 eliminated article 55, sub-article 5 of Presidential Regulation No. 45/2011 declaring the Benoa Bay a conservation area, he said. Through Presidential Regulation No. 51/2014, President Yudhoyono also altered the coastal area of the Benoa Bay into a buffer zone to pave the way for the realization of the reclamation plan, he said. "The fact that Presidential Regulation No. 51/2014 has not been lifted, shows that President Yudhoyono has ignored the interests of the Balinese people while rejecting the planned reclamation and giving priority to the interests of investors wishing to reclaim the Benoa Bay," he said. (*)