Bali Today , 24 Juli 2025 – A few hours ago, a link arrived in our inbox—one of those rare messages that makes you pause mid-sip of your morning coffee. It came from Bowo Santoso, host of the Bicara Logika podcast, and its title cut straight to the bone: “Akibat Melawan Alam, Jokowi Terima Akibatnya” (Those Who Fight Nature Must Face the Consequences).
Intrigued, we pressed play. What unfolded was a story not just about politics or urban planning, but about something far older: the quiet, inevitable revenge of nature.
IKN: A Dream Drowning in Rain
President Joko Widodo’s vision for Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara (IKN), was meant to be a gleaming testament to progress—a “smart forest city” rising from the jungles of East Kalimantan. But as Bowo laid out in his episode, the land itself seems to be pushing back.
Torrential rains. Unpredictable floods. Construction delays. What officials dismiss as “bad weather” or “logistical hurdles” might instead be something far more profound: ecological karma.
“You can’t erase ecosystems with a blueprint,” Bowo observed. “IKN was built too fast, without listening to what the soil, the forest, and the water had to say.”
And nature, as it turns out, always has the last word.
Bali’s Sacred Balance—Hanging by a Thread?
As we listened, a chilling question settled in: What if Bali is next?
For centuries, Bali has thrived on Tri Hita Karana—the sacred philosophy of balance between humans, gods, and nature. Its subak irrigation system, a UNESCO heritage marvel, is proof that development and ecology can coexist.
But today, that harmony feels fragile.
In Uluwatu, luxury hotels drill deeper for water as local wells run dry.
In Canggu, concrete sprawl swallows rice fields that once fed generations.
In Benoa Bay, dredging machines roar where fishermen once cast their nets.
We still speak of karma, but are we still listening to its warnings?
The Tragedy of Unheeded Warnings
What makes IKN’s struggles so haunting is that they were predictable. Scientists warned of Kalimantan’s delicate peatlands. Indigenous communities spoke of ancestral lands. Environmentalists begged for slower, smarter planning.
They were ignored.
Now, the same blueprint-driven arrogance looms over Bali:
A toll road slicing through productive farmland.
Coastal reclamation projects that prioritize tourists over ecosystems.
Water tables strained by unchecked villa construction.
The details differ, but the pattern is the same: development without dialogue, growth without gratitude.
“Nature is not mystical, it’s just silent… but the reward is certain.” – Bowo Santoso, Bicara Logika Podcast
Karma Is Not Superstition—It’s Cause and Effect
In Bali, karma is often misunderstood as cosmic punishment. It’s not. It’s the law of consequence.
Ignore the watersheds? Drought follows.
Pave over fertile land? Food scarcity arrives.
Silence the locals in the name of progress? Resistance grows.
IKN isn’t cursed—it’s reaping what was sown. And if Bali keeps chasing short-term gains at the expense of its lifeblood, it will face the same reckoning.
A Plea to Bali’s Leaders: Learn Before It’s Too Late
Bowo’s podcast didn’t end with fury, but with a quiet plea: true leadership means listening.
To scientists. To farmers. To the whispers of the land itself.
Bali still has a choice. Unlike IKN, we don’t have to fall to learn. But we must ask, before the next hotel tower rises or the next mangrove forest falls:
What kind of Bali are we building?
And who will pay the price?
Bali isn’t just a place—it’s a promise. A promise that modern life can still live in harmony with sacred land. But promises break when we stop paying attention. Let this be our moment of reckoning. Before the floodwaters rise. – Giostanovlatto
Why This Matters
This isn’t just about policy—it’s about identity. Bali’s magic has always been its ability to blend progress with tradition, modernity with reverence. If that balance shatters, what remains won’t be Bali—just another overdeveloped island chasing profits at nature’s expense.
The lesson from IKN is clear: You cannot outrun ecology.
Bali still has time. But the clock is ticking.
Op-ed by Giostanovlatto, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Bali Today. Based on insights from the “Bicara Logika” podcast by Bowo Santoso.
