DENPASAR – A surprise inspection by Bali’s Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) uncovered a Russian factory in Bali’s mangrove conservation forest, where a construction-materials plant was found operating illegally inside the protected zone. The discovery has sparked outrage over foreign control of state land and the growing threat to Bali’s fragile coastal ecosystem.

Committee chairman I Made Supartha said he was stunned to discover that a plot of land inside a state forest carried a land certificate registered to a foreigner. “We were shocked. Industrial activity is taking place there under foreign investment,” he said. The factory reportedly supplies building materials to hotels, villas and restaurants across Bali, potentially linking it to wider supply chains.

When asked to present legal permits, the factory’s management could not produce documentation. Lawmakers subsequently ordered the site to be shut down pending further review and said the DPRD will summon the management to examine the legality of the foreign investment.

Committee secretary Dewa Rai stressed the broader problem of state land control. “This is the first time I’ve seen a land certificate inside a state forest,” he said, describing the issue as more than a zoning violation and one that implicates public assets.

The council also found reclaimed, filled plots dotted with unlicensed structures. Lawmakers warned such development can worsen flooding during high tides by stripping mangroves of their natural water-absorption function.

“We will continue to safeguard the conservation forest and hold accountable those who damage the environment,” Supartha affirmed.