Why Is the Bali Flood Lawsuit Moving to Trial After Mediation Failed?
Mediation failed in the Pulihkan Bali Coalition’s flooding lawsuit after 14 government defendants rejected proposed settlement terms. The case now moves to trial in Denpasar.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Denpasar — Mediation in a citizen lawsuit over Bali’s flooding ended without agreement on Nov. 9, 2026, after 14 government officials and institutions rejected the settlement terms proposed by the Pulihkan Bali Coalition. The case will proceed to a trial on its merits at the Denpasar District Court.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2026 under case number 1024/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps, concerns major flooding in the Sarbagita area in September 2025. The coalition argues that the disaster was not caused by weather alone, but also by spatial-planning problems, land conversion, environmental management failures and inadequate disaster mitigation.
Why the lawsuit matters to Bali residents and visitors
The case puts government responsibility for flood risk and environmental protection before a court. For foreign residents and visitors, the dispute concerns more than short-term disruption: the plaintiffs’ demands address the planning and management decisions that shape drainage, watershed protection, development and disaster preparedness across Bali.
The defendants include the President of Indonesia; the ministers responsible for finance, energy and mineral resources, investment, environment, forestry, public works, and agrarian affairs; the Governor of Bali; the Bali Regional House of Representatives; and the mayors or regents of Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar and Tabanan. The coalition said the proposed settlement included measures to prevent, address and restore damage so similar flooding would not recur.
One disputed demand was a temporary moratorium on environmentally damaging investment permits. The coalition said the pause would allow environmental audits and a Strategic Environmental Assessment, known in Indonesia as KLHS, to be conducted properly. The plaintiffs also linked recurring flood risk to degraded land-use patterns, weak environmental management and insufficient watershed governance.
With mediation unsuccessful, the matter moves to the main proceedings at the Denpasar District Court. The coalition said it would continue pursuing government accountability for environmental protection and public safety.
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