Planting 700,000 Plants and Trees in Serangan, Now Home to 160 Bird Species
DENPASAR, THEIMAGE.ID – Many extraordinary aspects of the presence of the Special Economic Zone (KEK) Kura Kura Bali, under PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID), in Serangan Island, Denpasar, Bali, remain unknown to the people of Bali.
It turns out that Kura Kura Bali is highly committed to upholding the Tri Hita Karana philosophy, which is deeply rooted in Balinese life.
Kura Kura Bali prioritizes harmony between God, nature, and humans in every investment activity in Serangan. The foundation of Kura Kura Bali’s development is sustainability and local Balinese wisdom.
This is evident in the firm stance of the KEK Kura Kura Bali management. They do not hesitate to reject both local and foreign investors who do not uphold Tri Hita Karana values.
Real Commitment to Conservation
This commitment is proven in Serangan, where Kura Kura Bali has planted over 700,000 plants and trees, creating a habitat for 160 bird species. Interestingly, most of these birds are migratory species from Australia and Northern Asia.
As part of its future plans, Kura Kura Bali aims to develop birdwatching tourism in the Tahura area in the central part of Serangan Island to protect and preserve bird habitats.
Most importantly, Kura Kura Bali has also maintained and preserved eight temples within the area. The temple caretakers (pengempon) come from both local residents and communities from Denpasar City.
Head of Communications at PT BTID, Zakki Hakim, emphasized these commitments in a statement to the media.
“If we handed this over to certain investors, construction would be faster and payment would be immediate, but we don’t want to be careless,” Zakki asserted.
He explained that investors from Europe, America, or even Jakarta must share the same vision as Kura Kura Bali—caring for Serangan Island. If an investor is only focused on capital investment without maintaining balance between God, nature, and humans, management will reject them.
The commitment to harmony between God, nature, and humans is reflected in Kura Kura Bali’s continuous efforts to protect and preserve the eight temples within the area, with temple caretakers coming from both local residents and other areas in Denpasar.
No KTP Checks for Temple Caretakers, No Confiscation of Livestock
Rumors that Kura Kura Bali requires ID card (KTP) checks for temple caretakers visiting the eight temples in the area are false. Additionally, accusations that Kura Kura Bali confiscates local residents’ livestock that enter the area are not true.
Zakki Hakim firmly stated that Kura Kura Bali does not restrict or prevent temple caretakers from praying at the eight temples. Similarly, they do not prohibit local fishermen from catching fish.
Supervision is only conducted on non-caretakers or individuals without valid reasons to enter the area. This is necessary because there have been incidents where outsiders falsely claimed to be worshippers but ended up vandalizing temple shrines or performing inappropriate rituals.
“We do not conduct ID card checks on temple caretakers,” Zakki emphasized.
Regarding the rumors of confiscated livestock, Zakki clarified that this has never happened. In fact, some residents abandoned their cattle, allowing them to roam freely in Serangan’s forest area. “The Bali cattle have become wild and are now difficult to catch,” he added.
Creating High-Quality Tourism
Kura Kura Bali aims to establish a high-quality tourism ecosystem and a creative industry that upholds Tri Hita Karana values. They also encourage like-minded investors to develop a marina in the area.
To attract investments to KEK, the target is to secure IDR 104 trillion over the next 30 years, creating 30,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect jobs. The workforce will be employed in sectors such as hotels, healthcare facilities, universities, schools, villas, and restaurants.
“Investors who invest here, for example, can enjoy corporate tax (PPH) exemptions for ten, fifteen, or even twenty years. Additional incentives will depend on the size and type of investment,” explained Zakki Hakim. ***
