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Governor upset over small returns from local govt assets
Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has inspected several government properties to verify allegations that those assets, which had been leased to private companies, failed to yield satisfying financial returns for the Bali administration
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Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika has inspected several government properties to verify allegations that those assets, which had been leased to private companies, failed to yield satisfying financial returns for the Bali administration.
Pastika disclosed the inspection aimed at re-identifying the administration’s assets and determining whether the assets had been properly managed.
"We have assets in various places all over the island. If these assets are not being managed and utilized properly then they will become unproductive assets," he said Sunday.
Pastika concluded that a large number of the administration's assets had not been utilized properly. The Bali administration has a total of 3,500 properties on the island.
The inspected properties are several hectares of land on various parts of the island, including a 4.7 hectare plot in the complex of Garuda Wisnu Kencana cultural park in Jimbaran and a 8.98 hectare plot on Padanggalak beach, Sanur.
The latter was at the heart of the ongoing public controversy over the administration's unproductive assets.
The inspection found out the property had been leased to PT Abdi Persada Nusantara, which in 1997 constructed upon the land various amusement facilities. The company planned to transform the beachside property into a theme park: Taman Festival Bali.
The plan somehow failed when the financial crisis of 1998 paralyzed the country's economy. Construction projects were put on hold and the workers abandoned the plot. The land has seen no activity since eight years ago. Only dilapidated buildings and as many as 100 crocodiles, brought in as part of the planned theme park, now occupy the plot of land.
Former project officer of the park, Lidyawati urged the administration to assist the company in continuing the project.
"We hope the governor will help us bring the park back to life," she said.
On the previous day, a similar inspection was also conducted on a 1,128 hectare plantation in Pulukan village, Jembrana, and a cow farm in Baturiti village, Tabanan.
The Pulukan plantation is the largest land property owned by the Bali administration. The plantation grows rubber trees, Albesia, coconuts and vanilla. Unfortunately, the plantation has yet to contribute something to the administration's coffer.
"Up until now, the administration still allocates a special fund to finance the maintenance and operational costs of this plantation," Pastika said.
