The Home Affairs Ministry and the Bali local government are optimistic of being able to address the waste problem ahead of the Indonesian G20 Summit 2022.
“(This is) because one of the main issues of the G20 is related to the environment,” the Ministry’s Acting Director General of Regional Development, Sugeng Hariyono, noted here on Monday.
According to Hariyono, the Home Affairs Ministry has paid attention to some environmental problems in Bali, especially in the Sarbagita region comprising Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan.
“Bali will become a destination for world leaders. This place should be made a benchmark of the environment by several countries worldwide,” Hariyono affirmed.
Special Staff for Security and Law at the Ministry, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, stated that the garbage problems in Bali should be resolved together with several parties, such as the central government, local governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
“There is a way for us together to end the waste problems affecting Bali. I see a big target here, so we hope the (Bali) regional government would have the main policy and the ministry would strive to assist,” Jaya explained.
Meanwhile, Special Staff for Politics and Media Kastorius Sinaga highlighted that the G20 is an international event, and the garbage problem should not hinder its implementation.
Based on the Home Affairs Minister’s directive, the resolution to the waste problems should be integrated that also involves the society at the upstream level. Hence, the ministry will encourage the local government to raise awareness about handling waste in society.
“The Home Affairs Ministry’s role is to assist and monitor. We have the budget and regulations, but the actions are taken by the local administrations and regional governmental apparatus organization (OPD),” he noted.
Sinaga also encouraged the initiative to handle plastic waste in Bali independently by involving and providing economic benefits to the community.
Source: Antara News