Yudhoyono insists on 2013 APEC venue despite building ban

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono requested that an official venue be constructed for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held in Bali in 2013, an official says.

The President has asked that the venue, the Bali International Park, be built on a 250-hectare site in Jimbaran in South Bali.

The development of the Bali International Park would improve Indonesia’s image abroad, Culture and Tourism Ministry head of law and planning Turman Siagian said Thursday.

But, the plan violates a 2009 bylaw on the island’s spatial planning.

In December the Culture and Tourism Ministry urged the Bali administration to halt all develop-ment of new hotels, convention centers and tourism facilities on the southern part of the island until 2015.

“A spatial plan is only a document. It is not static and can be revised accordingly,” Siagian said.

The plan to build the park was unveiled during a coordination meeting in Denpasar on Thursday between the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Bali administration and private sector partners.

The planned park would be developed by PT Jimbaran Hijau and would consist of a 17-hectare residential area for presidents, prime ministers and APEC heads of state, as well as support facilities on 13 hectares.

PT Jimbaran Hijau commissioner Frans Bambang Siswanto said at the meeting that the company planned to build 21 luxury residences for the heads of state.

The company would also develop a 10,000-seat assembly hall, a 2,500-seat plenary hall, a world trade center, exhibition halls, permanent exhibition pavilions and a world culture center.

“The planned project will cost around US$280 million, to be paid for by the private sector,” Siswanto said. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2011 and expected to conclude by August 2013.

Siswanto said the project would be better than existing developments in Nusa Dua, Kuta, Legian and other tourist areas in Bali.

“Our company will go public so that people can buy shares,” he said.

Bali Development Planning Agency official Wayan Suasta was reluctant to comment on the plan.

“We want the coming APEC meeting to run smoothly. But we have to abide by Bali’s bylaw on spatial planning,” Suasta said.

Walhi friends of the Earth chair Wayan Suardhana said he was very upset with the plan.

“Walhi strongly opposes the plan. Bali already has international standard convention centers, hotels and other facilities to host any international meeting. President Yudhoyono should not only be thinking about his image.”

Suardhana also urged Bali Governor Mangku Pastika to act against the plan and to abide by the law.