Legal Battle Threatens Bali's Stalled MRT Subway Project

Bali's long-awaited mass rapid transit system has hit a serious roadblock. According to reporting from Beritabali.com, international infrastructure consultant Samvada Asia has filed a lawsuit against PT Bumi Indah Prima (BIP), the consortium leading the Bali MRT project, over alleged contract breaches and unpaid invoices that have brought construction efforts to a halt.

The dispute raises urgent questions about the viability of a project that many view as essential to solving Bali's notorious traffic congestion problems.

From Groundbreaking to Gridlock

The MRT Bali project generated considerable optimism when it held a groundbreaking ceremony in Kuta in September 2024. However, nearly a year later, there are virtually no visible signs that actual construction has commenced on the first phase of the transit system.

Hamdan Zoelva, attorney for Samvada Asia and former Chief Justice of Indonesia's Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi), revealed the scope of the problem on February 23, 2026. He stated that PT BIP—owned by Budi Asril and Anton Subowo—had engaged Samvada Asia and five other local and international vendors to conduct critical preparatory work.

"Our Singapore-based client, Samvada Asia, along with five other local and international vendors, were instructed by PT BIP to conduct data intelligence studies, develop policy frameworks, conduct planning feasibility studies, and execute a number of key tasks for the Bali Subway project. However, after Anton Aditya Subowo and Budi Asril hired them, PT BIP has defaulted on its obligations and failed to make scheduled payments."

Payment Failures Halt Project Work

According to Samvada Asia Founder and Managing Director David Nugent, between May 2024 and June 2025, his company and the five other vendors completed various assignments for the MRT project. The work included:

• Strategic and political advisory services
• Communications and stakeholder engagement strategies
• Data intelligence and feasibility studies
• Policy framework development

However, PT BIP allegedly failed to honor its payment obligations, forcing all vendors to cease operations. The non-payment has reportedly affected hundreds of employees across multiple organizations working on the project.

Questions About Project Leadership

The lawsuit casts doubt on whether PT BIP has the financial capacity and commitment to deliver on such an ambitious infrastructure project. Bali's transportation challenges are well-documented—the island attracts millions of tourists annually while also experiencing rapid growth in its local population and vehicle ownership, creating severe congestion on key routes.

The failure to compensate contractors for work already completed suggests deeper financial or management problems within the consortium leadership, potentially jeopardizing the entire MRT initiative that residents and planners have counted on for years.

What Comes Next

The outcome of Samvada Asia's lawsuit could determine whether the MRT Bali project moves forward, stalls indefinitely, or requires a complete restructuring of leadership and financing. As of now, the project remains officially stalled with no clear timeline for resumption of work or resolution of the payment dispute.

Original reporting from Bali Discovery and Beritabali.com