I Wayan Koster | |
|---|---|
| ᬇᬯᬬᬦ᭄ᬓᭀᬲ᭄ᬢᭂᬃ | |
 Gubernatorial portrait, 2025 | |
| 9th Governor of Bali | |
| Assumed office 20 February 2025 | |
| Vice Governor | I Nyoman Giri Prasta |
| Preceded by | Sang Made Mahendra Jaya (acting) |
| In office 5 September 2018 – 5 September 2023 | |
| Vice Governor | Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati |
| Preceded by | Hamdani (acting) I Made Mangku Pastika |
| Succeeded by | Sang Made Mahendra Jaya (acting) |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives | |
| In office 1 October 2004 – 14 May 2018 (resign) | |
| Succeeded by | I Gusti Agung Putri Astrid Kartika |
| Parliamentary group | Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle Faction |
| Constituency | Bali |
| Majority | 37,947 (2004; 1st term) 185,901 (2009; 2nd term) 260,342 (2014; 3rd term) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1962-10-20)20 October 1962 (age 62) Sembiran,Tejakula,Buleleng Regency, Bali, Indonesia |
| Citizenship | Indonesian |
| Political party | PDI-P |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Residence | Jaya Sabha |
| Education | Jakarta State University(Doctor) |
| Alma mater | Bandung Institute of Technology(BMath) International Golden Institute(MM) Jakarta State University(Dr.) |
| Occupation | |
| Profession | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
| Nicknames |
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Koster makes a speech at the 2021 Bali governor's press conference regarding the new variant ofCOVID-19 mutation in Bali Recorded 4 May 2021 | |
I Wayan Koster (Balinese:ᬇᬯᬬᬦ᭄ᬓᭀᬲ᭄ᬢᭂᬃ; born 20 October 1962) is an Indonesian politician and economist who is the 9thgovernor of Bali, serving in 2018–2023 and since February 2025. He was a member of theHouse of Representatives (DPR) representing theprovince of Bali from 2004 to 2018 with theIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Before becoming a politician, he was involved in education, Koster studied atBandung Institute of Technology andJakarta State University before becoming a lecturer and eventually joiningIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. In the2014 Indonesian legislative election, Koster was the holder of the most votes in the Bali province electoral with 260,342 of votes, a three-term parliamentarian representing his home province.
Koster was once a researcher at the Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Education and Culture (1988–1994) and also a lecturer at several state and private universities (1994–2004). He became a figure in the Hindu community by serving as Deputy Secretary General of theIndonesian Hindu Youth Association (IHYA/PERADAH Indonesia) and Secretary General of the Tax Base Prajaniti Hindu Indonesia.
I Wayan Koster was born in the village ofSembiran inTejakula district of theBuleleng Regency ofBali on 20 October 1962.[1] He completed his first twelve years of education there from 1968, graduating high school in 1980. Afterward, he moved toBandung to study at theBandung Institute of Technology, from where he graduated in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. Later on, he received a masters from the International Golden Institute (1995) and a doctorate fromJakarta State University (1999).[2][3]
After earning his bachelor's degree, Koster worked at theMinistry of Education and Culture as a researcher between 1988 and 1995.[2] He then became a non-permanent lecturer atTarumanagara University,Pelita Harapan University,Jakarta State University and an economic institute.[4][5]
By 2003, Koster was a specialist staff member inPDI-P.[4] In 2004, he ran for a seat in theHouse of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia as part ofPDI-P. During the campaigning process, he headed a committee for a rally supporting the party in his hometown. Participants of the rally clashed with that of another rally supportingGolkar, resulting in two deaths from the latter group. Koster received acivil suit due to his position.[6] Regardless, Koster secured a seat in the parliament after the2004 election, and was sworn in on 1 October that year.[5][7]
After being reelected in 2009 with 185,901 votes,[5][8] Koster was investigated by theCorruption Eradication Commission several times during his second term. He was questioned in 2011 regarding a case in the education ministry,[9] in 2013 regarding another case related to theNational Sports Week,[10] and in 2014 about the cases ofAkil Mochtar[11] and the Hambalang sports complex.[12] He was reelected for a third term in 2014, winning 260,342 votes. This was the most votes for Bali candidates and the third-most votes won by a parliamentary candidate nationally, after fellowPDI-P membersKarolin Margret Natasa andPuan Maharani.[8][13]
During most of his time in parliament, Koster was part of the tenth commission covering education, culture, sports, tourism, and the creative economy.[4] He had voiced opposition against a 2014 law that would alter the selection of the parliamentary speaker from appointment by the largest party in an election to that of a parliamentary vote.[14] He also voiced his support for a law which would allow Balinese villages to pick between being a "cultural village" or a standard village.[15] He was eventually retasked to the fifth commission on public works, transportation and rural development.[16]
In 2018, Koster ran in thegubernatorial elections for Bali, resigning from his parliament seat in order to do so.[17] Running withCok Ace, the pair won with 57.68 percent of the votes.[18] He was sworn in on 5 September 2018.[19]
During the campaigning period, Koster stated that he wished to alter the family planning program in Bali by changing the recommended number of children from two to four in order to fit Balinese traditions.[20]
In 2018 Koster issued Bali Governor's Regulation No. 79 of 2018 which mandated that city officials wear traditional Balinese dress, such as that made ofsongket. This was followed by Circular No. 4 of 2021 which specified the use ofEndek fabrics, and was expanded to high-ranking individuals in the private sector and other institutions.[21]
Koster announced a ban on plastic, as stipulated in Gubernatorial Regulation (Pergub) No. 97/2018, expressing hope that the policy would lead to a 70 percent decline in Bali's marine plastics within a year.[22]
In 2021, he was one of twelve individuals named in a suit by theInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON, known locally as the "Hare Krishna") for allegedly hindering worship activities.[23]
On 15–16 November 2022, with the2022 G20 Bali summit, theseventeenth meeting of theGroup of Twenty (G20) was held inNusa Dua.[24]
In 2022-2023, the construction of anew airport in North Bali was officially canceled after crossed out from theNational Strategic Project (PSN) by President Joko Widodo and also get a strong rejection from the PDI-P general chairMegawati Soekarnoputri, the construction of the airport in North Bali has existed since the era ofMade Mangku Pastika, the 8th governor of Bali, the airport will later be built inKubutambahan district, Buleleng Regency, Bali, close toSingaraja City (former capital of Bali), The aim of building this airport is to reduce mass tourism in South Bali by bringing it to North Bali, and also the problem of economic inequality between the two regions in Bali. In 2024 Koster claims that the construction of the airport was not rejected, but it was canceled because there was no meeting point regarding the land fulfillment.
In 2024 at the start of Koster's campaign for the next gubernatorial election, Koster said he will try to continue the construction of the airport in North Bali if he was re-elected as governor.[25]
On August 23, 2024 Koster again ran for Governor of Bali in the2024 gubernatorial election, He was again promoted by theIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), this time He was accompanied by theRegent ofBadung for two termsI Nyoman Giri Prasta who was considered more qualified and well known among Balinese people than previous vice governorCok Ace. Even though he has become a controversial figure among the public because of hisrejection of the Israeli national team at the U20 World Cup in Bali in 2023, he winning the election with more than 61% of the vote. Koster-Giri was inaugurated on February 20, 2025.
After being inaugurated on February 20, Wayan Koster made 15 new regulations during his second term. The regulations made will be in the form of regional regulations (perda) and gubernatorial regulations (pergub).[26]
In March 2025, Wayan Koster emphasized that the Gilimanuk-Mengwi Toll Road would continue according to plan even though it was not included in the 77National Strategic Project(PSN).Koster said that the project was still being programmed. He said that an evaluation of the route to be taken was currently being carried out.
Koster is optimistic that this project can be realized according to plan, even though it has raised public questions regarding the continuation of the construction of the first toll road in Bali.
He emphasized that the project will continue to be carried out by the local government because of the importance of this infrastructure in facilitating connectivity between West Bali and the economic center in South Bali.[27]
In March 2025, Wayan Koster created a four children program to protect the namesNyoman orKomang andKetut. According to him,typical Balinese names of third and fourth children are threatened with extinction.
Koster said he will give aIncentives for the third child with the first name Komang or Nyoman and the fourth child with the first name Ketut. The incentives will begin in 2025.
Bali Provincial Government (Pemprov), Koster said that he would form a team to arrange the technicalities of providing the incentives.[28]
On March 27, 2025, Wayan Koster through the Circular Letter (SE) of the Governor of Bali Number 7 of 2025 concerning the New Order for foreign tourists while in Bali.The regulation is an improvement on SE Number 4 of 2023 which regulates similar matters. Koster said that the new rules for foreign tourists will be stricter.[29]
This circular regulates the thirteen obligations and eight prohibitions for foreign tourists while in Bali.[30]
He hopes that with the existence of these new regulations, tourism on the island of Bali can run more orderly and with quality. The Bali Provincial Government will also coordinate with consuls or diplomatic officials of countries in Bali to ensure that these rules are complied with by foreign tourists.[31]
On April 7, 2025, the Bali Provincial Government Wayan Koster strengthened this rule by adding 6 new obligations for foreign tourists while in Bali, including, the obligation to wear polite clothing and the obligation to use the Indonesian Standard QR Code or QRIS when paying.[32]
In March 2025, Wayan Koster issued a regional regulation (Perda) or Governor's Regulation (Pergub) requiring transportation vehicles to have Balinese DK plates. This rule applies to all online and conventional transportation, including taxis and motorcycle taxis, and to use Balinese ID cards.[33]
On April 6, 2025, Koster officially issued a ban on the production ofsingle-use plastic bottled drinking water with a volume of less than 1 liter. This policy is stated in Circular Letter Number 09 of 2025 as part of a long-term effort to address the problem of plastic waste in theBali Island region.[34]
This ban aims to reduce the impact of environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic waste. In his statement, Governor Koster emphasized that this policy is not intended to kill the businesses of local entrepreneurs, but rather to encourage the use of more environmentally friendly packaging. He gave an example of the use of glass bottles as a better alternative, as has been implemented by local producers inKarangasem.[34]
The Bali Provincial Government plans to hold a dialogue with all bottled drinking water business actors, includinglarge companies such as Danone and localUKM actors, to socialize this policy. In addition to prohibiting production, this policy also applies to suppliers and distributors of single-use plastic bottled drinking water products.[34]
To ensure the implementation of the policy, the Governor has assignedSatpol PP and related regional apparatuses to carry out supervision in the field. The involvement of environmental communities and the wider community is also expected to strengthen supervision and support source-based waste management and restrictions on the use of single-use plastic.[34]
On February 15 2016, Koster asked to the Indonesian Film Producer Association (APROFI) whether there was any investment originating fromChina.[35]
"This must be changed by friends in the DPR. This is not fair. Political nuances are fine, but don't be too vulgar. This is not healthy." - Wayan Koster.[36]
"I fought hard to get this provision on Traditional Villages included in the Village Law." - Wayan Koster.[37]
On December 1, 2016, Koster stated his notes that the debate on the National Examination (UN) had been going on since 2004 and the DPR's position at that time was against the UN. The UN which at that time was still a graduation requirement was not in accordance with Law No. 20 of 2003 Article 51 so that negotiations took place between the DPR and the Government. The result was an agreement of 60% of the UN and 30% of the UAS. According to Wayan, the steps taken by the Minister of Education & Culture (Mendikbud) this time were more radical by eliminating the UN even though the steps were in accordance with the Law. Wayan suggested that when it was communicated to the media later, it would not be stated that the UN was eliminated but rather an evaluation policy that was carried out in stages. Wayan argued that the quality of education was not the same as the UN because psychologically the UN was used as prestige in several regions, thus opening up opportunities for leaks. Wayan added that the UN was something that was biased but received a fairly large budget. Personally, Wayan agrees with the elimination of the UN but it needs to be balanced with a policy of improving quality and not all are released to the regions because not all regions can commit.
On February 9, 2016, Koster was of the opinion that this institution must first be determined whether this institution is still operating or not. If so, will this institution be made into a type of Perum or Limited Liability Company (PT)?[38]
On September 11, 2014, Wayan Koster said that theJokowi andJusuf Kalla government should not merge four ministries that carry out basic service functions. These are the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Religion, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Public Works.
"Institutional change with an efficiency approach alone cannot be based on theory on paper, but must be combined with previous government experience, so as not to be lulled by beautiful expressions that can actually lead you astray," said Koster at the DPR Building, Jakarta, Thursday (11/9/2014).[39]
On March 17, 2015, Koster stated that he believed the 4thIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) congress would be quiet. The reason is, the majority of administrators, from the center to the regions, agreed to re-appointMegawati Soekarnoputri as general chairperson again.
Koster is married and has two daughters. Married in 1999 his wife was an artist and actress, while his eldest daughter currently known to be working in the Netherlands.[40][41]
On 21 March 2023, Koster stated that he rejected the participation of theIsrael national under-19 football team in the2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, then scheduled to be held in Bali.[42] His decision received a protest from the head ofLocal House of Representative of the Province of Bali.[43] After FIFA announced that Indonesia was removed as a host of the U-20 World Cup, Indonesian internet users expressed their frustration by flooding Koster's Instagram account comment column.[44] In one of the interviews Koster said that The rejection was not his "attitude", he was only following the direction of the party's general chairmanMegawati Soekarnoputri and adhering toSoekarno's principle that Israel may not compete officially in Indonesia's sovereign territory. In the2024 Bali gubernatorial election debate, Koster's rivalMade Muliawan Arya uses this issue to attackting Koster, this was accompanied by loud cheers from the audience watching the debate.[45]
2023 World Beach Games
On 4 July 2023, Indonesia announced it would no longer host the 2023 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games. About 1,500 athletes from 100 countries were set to compete in Bali from August 5 to 15 in the youth-focused tournament featuring sports including beach soccer, surfing, sailing and beach volleyball.[46] ANOC cited no political reason for Indonesia’s withdrawal in its statement but it follows reported comments from Bali Governor Wayan Koster rejecting Israel’s presence in Bali ahead of the games.
Koster tak pernah pindah tugas komisi selama di DPR, yaitu di Komisi X (bidang pendidikan, olahraga, pariwisata, dan ekonomi kreatif), hingga digeser ke Komisi V (bidang pekerjaan umum, transportasi, dan pembangunan desa).
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Governor of Bali 2018–2023 | Succeeded by Sang Ade Mahendra |
| International | |
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| National | |
