Court Overturns Bali’s Stop-Work Order, Kelingking Glass Lift Still in Limbo
An investor behind the Kelingking Beach glass lift has won an administrative court ruling that overturns Bali’s stop-work and demolition order and imposes Rp11.99 million in court costs on the province.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 4 min read
Nusa Penida — — A Chinese-backed investor has won a key administrative court ruling over the controversial glass lift project at Kelingking Beach, but the lift remains frozen in legal and regulatory limbo while Bali authorities move to appeal.
The Denpasar Administrative Court (PTUN Denpasar) granted the lawsuit filed by PT Indonesia Kaishi Tourism Property Investment Development Group, annulling a November 27, 2025 letter from the head of Bali’s Civil Service Police (Satpol PP) that had ordered construction to stop and the lift structure to be dismantled, according to local media reports and a detailed account of the case.
The court ordered the provincial authorities to withdraw the disputed letter and pay court costs of Rp11,988,000, a figure reported consistently across several outlets.
Scope of the ruling
The decision in case No. 17/G/2026/PTUN.DPS was read electronically through the court’s e-Court system on September 3, 2026.
Judges granted the investor’s claim in full, declaring the Satpol PP letter invalid and requiring it to be revoked, but the ruling addresses only that specific administrative act rather than the full range of permits and approvals behind the wider development.
Local reports and legal commentary note that an administrative court victory of this type removes one procedural obstacle but does not itself function as a blanket authorization to restart heavy construction on the site.
Bali provincial officials have stated that they will file an appeal against the PTUN ruling, meaning the case is expected to continue through higher judicial instances and the judgment has not yet attained final legal force.
Project and permit dispute
The PT Indonesia Kaishi Tourism Tourism Property Investment Development Group is behind a planned glass lift running roughly 182 metres down the cliff face above Kelingking Beach, intended to provide easier access from the cliff-top viewpoint to the shoreline below.
Provincial and local authorities have previously argued that the permits obtained by the investor were limited in scope, initially covering a more modest ticket-office or support facility, while subsequent works were seen to include a much more extensive vertical structure and associated walkways along the cliff.
Officials have raised concerns about environmental impact, disaster risk, cultural considerations and compliance with zoning and tourism regulations, and the project drew national and international attention when Bali ordered construction halted and signalled that the lift might be removed.
Political reaction and criticism
The PTUN decision has prompted sharp reactions from both the provincial government and members of the Bali legislature.
Governor Wayan Koster and other senior officials have publicly questioned the ruling and reiterated that the province will pursue an appeal.
In parallel, members of a special committee in the regional parliament have criticised the provincial legal team’s performance, arguing that the government did not present environmental and planning experts as effectively as the investor’s side during the proceedings.
Some legislators have also suggested that they may take the matter to Indonesia’s Judicial Commission, reflecting broader political unease over the decision, although subsequent steps remain unclear in public reporting.
Status of construction
Despite the investor’s courtroom win, the lift at Kelingking Beach remains described by local reports as an unfinished project, with no clear indication that construction crews or heavy machinery have returned to the site.
Legal and regulatory commentary stresses that, under Indonesian administrative law, a lower-court ruling under appeal does not provide a definitive legal basis to resume construction and does not replace any outstanding building, environmental, land-use, safety or tourism-sector approvals that may still be required.
For investors and tourism operators, the case underscores that successfully challenging a specific administrative order is not the same as securing a clear and uncontested path to completion. Until the appeal is resolved and the full permit and regulatory framework is clarified, both the future of the lift and any potential dismantling orders remain uncertain.
Sources
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