The Special Committee on Spatial Planning, Assets, and Licensing of the Bali Provincial Parliament has moved swiftly at the beginning of 2026. A number of alleged violations related to spatial planning and licensing are now under close scrutiny.
The committee is currently focusing on two hotels in Badung Regency: The Edge Hotel in Pecatu Village and Hotel Mulia. During a hearing session held on Tuesday (January 6, 2026), The Edge Hotel was highlighted for the construction of a restaurant inside a cave.
The cave is suspected of having cultural heritage value. Although the Badung Cultural Office stated that the cave is not classified as a cultural heritage site, Bali Regional Parliament questioned the validity of that assessment. Secretary of the Special Committee, Dewa Nyoman Rai, emphasized that such studies must be conducted transparently and objectively.
Based on collected information, the cave is estimated to have formed around 25,000 years ago, as indicated by the growth of its stalactites and stalagmites.
“The GM of The Edge admitted that during the hotel’s construction, the land around the cave collapsed and revealed the cave. After it was discovered, it was repaired and turned into a restaurant. If it is commercialized, there are indications of cultural heritage violations. We will review it together again,” Dewa Rai asserted.
In addition to the cave issue, the Special Committee also found several alleged licensing violations. The Environmental Management and Monitoring Efforts document was reportedly processed only after the hotel building had already been constructed.
According to regulations, environmental documents must be completed before physical construction begins.
Another striking violation concerns the swimming pool located right at the edge of a cliff, which is considered to violate the Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR).
“The building height in the RDTR is very clear. In my opinion, the swimming pool structure must be demolished because it violates the rules,” said the Buleleng-born official.
Based on these findings, The Special Committee issued a stern warning to The Edge management to complete all licensing requirements by January 20, 2026. If violations persist beyond the deadline, the Bali Regional Parliament urged authorities to take firm action.
“If there are still gaps, put up a police line,” he stressed.
Chief of Bali Provincial Civil Service Police Unit, Dewa Darmadi echoed this stance, stating that visual monitoring showed several structures appeared to exceed cliff boundaries. His office plans to summon The Edge management on Thursday for licensing clarification before deploying an integrated inspection team.
Meanwhile, representatives of The Edge Hotel claimed that the licensing process has been ongoing since 2022. However, the Bali Regional Parliament questioned this claim, considering the hotel has been operating since 2011.
The Special Committee also summoned Hotel Mulia following public reports regarding alleged building height violations, despite the hotel having operated for approximately 15 years.
Bali Regional Parliament also highlighted alleged violations involving the use of coastal buffer zones and the installation of protective structures in marine areas, which fall under the authority of the Bali Provincial Marine and Fisheries Office.
Bali Regional Parliament’s recent firm stance has raised public questions, given that the hotels have stood for many years. Responding to this, Dewa Rai stated that the Bali Regional Parliament only acted after receiving public complaints.
According to Bali Bisnis, “That is just normative reasoning why only now, why not earlier—because only now have we received reports from the public. We went down together during dinner, so now we will go and prove it,” he said.
Additionally, the presence of a temple within the Hotel Mulia complex has drawn attention. Bali Regional Parliament noted discrepancies in the temple’s naming, which could affect spatial distance regulations.
“We will examine it further because it relates to distance,” he emphasized.
During the hearing session on Tuesday (January 6, 2025), allegations against Hotel Mulia resurfaced, including excessive building height and the commercialization of a beach that should function as a public space. Secretary of Special Committee, I Dewa Nyoman Rai, explained that the meeting aimed to seek clarification regarding the committee’s findings.
He pointed out that the building height should be limited to four floors or 15 meters, yet the hotel was found to have five floors.
“The regulation states that the zero point is measured from ground level, with a maximum of four floors. However, in the field, we see five floors,” Dewa Rai said on Tuesday (January 6, 2025).
Hotel Mulia was also accused of restricting public access to the beach, which Dewa Rai described as a violation. The committee further questioned the installation of coastal protection structures such as grips or revetments without recommendations from the Bali Provincial Marine and Fisheries Office.
On the other hand, Hotel Mulia’s General Affairs representative, I Gusti Ngurah Raharja, denied any closure of beach access.
“We continue to open public access, including access to the temple for religious ceremonies,” Ngurah said.
Regarding the building height issue, Ngurah questioned why the matter was only being raised now, considering Hotel Mulia has operated for 15 years and, according to him, has completed all licensing requirements.
Sources : Radar Buleleng, Bali Bisnis
Feat Image : via The Edge