TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said that the villa construction project which dredged limestone cliffs in Pecatu Village, South Kuta District, Badung, Bali, has been temporarily suspended. The construction drew criticisms and concerns over Bali’s nature, as it’s one of the major attractions for tourists.

"Oh, it's a shame that a hotel is constructed there,” said Sandiaga Uno on Monday, May 20, 2024. "This villa (construction) has been suspended to check the permits.”

Previously, a video went viral on social media of the dredging of a limestone cliff, with pieces collapsing onto the beach. Niluh Djelantik, the video uploader, wrote that Bali does not need resorts that cut into cliffs. "What Bali needs are tourist lodges as part of Experience Tourism, Education Tourism, Wellness Tourism, and village homestays to maintain natural sustainability, managed by and for the welfare of its residents," he said, mentioning the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Sandiaga Uno in the post.

"Is this what you call tourism based on protecting nature and local wisdom? How can these people come to our land and then tear up the earth? Have they not learned from the various disasters that happened?" he added.

Cutting Down Century-Old Trees

Previously, a video uploaded by @therahayuproject on Instagram about the felling of a tree thought to be more than a century old near Seseh Beach, Badung Regency went viral on social media. Allegedly, the tree was cut down for the sake of a new beach club.

"How many more trees will go down in the name of profit?" wrote the uploader in the caption.

"The magic of Bali continues to be lost more and more every day, all because of arrogance and corruption (the two great diseases of humanity)," wrote one Instagram user in the comments.

MILA NOVITA

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