What the governor said
On Sunday evening, 11 October, Bali Governor Wayan Koster held a press conference at the Jayasabha official residence in Denpasar, as part of Bali Climate Week. He said he wants to cut air pollution by expanding the use of electric vehicles on the island.
Koster said he would run a more progressive campaign this year for clean energy and green transport. The report names no specific measures, regulations or dates. This is a statement of intent, not an adopted rule.
Where the 90% figure comes from
The governor pointed to research findings. According to them, about 90% of air pollution in Bali comes from motor vehicle emissions and power plants. The article does not name the study or its method, so treat the number as an official's estimate.
On an island where most trips are made by scooter and car, the figure helps explain why authorities keep returning to electric transport.
The tax side of the story
The financial angle drew the most attention. Koster does not see lost tax income as a problem if the number of combustion vehicles falls.
The source gives 2025 figures for context. Bali's provincial tax revenue was about Rp 2.8 trillion. The largest parts were the vehicle tax (PKB) at about Rp 1 trillion and the vehicle ownership transfer fee (BBNKB) at about Rp 700 billion. Together that is roughly Rp 1.7 trillion, clearly more than half of provincial tax income.
The source also notes that the national government still offers tax incentives to electric vehicle users in Indonesia.
In other words, a large part of the province's tax base depends on two levies tied directly to how many vehicles are bought, owned and resold. That is why the governor's remark that he is not worried reads as a political choice rather than an accounting calculation. The source does not say how the province would replace any lost income.
Koster on the trade-off
The governor accepted that vehicle tax income may fall. In his view, the loss can be offset by a cleaner environment and healthier residents. He stressed that not everything can be measured in money.
He also linked a cleaner island to a better image for Bali tourism. That is his assessment, and the article gives no figures to support it.
What it means for residents and business
Nothing has been banned or introduced so far. Still, the signal matters to anyone running a fleet of scooters or cars on Bali, for example villas that provide rental transport. If the campaign turns into rules, they could touch charging infrastructure, incentives or limits on older vehicles. No such decisions have been announced.
The provincial budget question is also open. Vehicle taxes bring in a large share of revenue, and a changing vehicle mix would eventually call for other sources. The source does not discuss this, but it is a logical question for future budget talks.
For now the practical takeaway is simple: there are no decisions yet, only a direction. Anyone planning to buy vehicles for rentals or guest transfers can take this signal into account when choosing equipment.