President Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed his commitment to the construction of North Bali International Airport in Buleleng, despite opposition from Indonesia’s 5th President, Megawati Soekarnoputri, who had previously rejected the development plan.
Quoting detik.com, During his visit to Bali on Sunday (3/11/2024), Prabowo expressed his ambition for Bali to transform into a hub similar to ‘New Singapore’ or ‘New Hong Kong.’
“I am committed to building the North Bali International Airport,” Prabowo declared, receiving applause from the audience during his speech at Bendega Restaurant, Denpasar.
Prabowo believes that the new airport will help Buleleng evolve into a major tourism center, much like southern Bali, though he acknowledged that realizing this vision will require significant effort and bold thinking.
“We must work hard and think big, dare to think the impossible and prove that it is possible,” he said.
He further emphasized his vision for Indonesia to become a prosperous, fair, and just nation where all citizens can enjoy the benefits of economic growth. The crowd enthusiastically responded, “Agreed!” when asked if they shared his vision.
The North Bali Airport project has become a key issue in Prabowo-Gibran’s campaign for the 2024 Presidential Election, and is also part of the priority programs of Bali’s gubernatorial candidates, Made Muliawan Arya and Putu Agus Suradnyana (Mulia-PAS).
However, the project has faced delays due to opposition from various parties who has expressed concerns about its impact on Bali’s environment and economy.
Despite these concerns, there is local support for the project. Bali’s Tourism Office Head, Cokorda Bagus Pemayun, supports the airport plan but insists that a deeper study is needed before proceeding.
He noted that the current concentration of tourists in southern Bali, particularly around Ngurah Rai Airport, has led to congestion.
“Building an airport in the north would help distribute tourist traffic more evenly,” Pemayun explained.
He also pointed out that Ngurah Rai Airport’s limited number of runways and its central location, surrounded by tourist hotspots like Kuta and Nusa Dua, restrict future expansion, making an alternative airport in the north a viable solution.
Academics also support the airport’s construction. Professor I Putu Anom from Udayana University’s Faculty of Tourism believes that developing North Bali Airport, or improving Celukan Bawang Port, would help ease congestion at Ngurah Rai Airport, which is increasingly overwhelmed.
However, Anom highlighted the technical challenges of constructing the airport, particularly due to the narrow land in northern Bali.
According to Nusabali, he suggested that the airport could be built on a platform above the sea, without requiring reclamation.
“Building the airport on piles above the sea might be an option, but constructing it within the West Bali National Park could harm the environment,” he added, underlining the need for careful planning and consideration of environmental factors.
