TOBA | INDATANEWS.COM ~ The Tourism Warriors Community of the Lake Toba Area, known as Komunitas Prajurit Pariwisata Kawasan Danau Toba (KPP-KDT), has launched a petition rejecting the extension of the tenure of the Head of the Lake Toba Authority Agency (BPODT), Jimmy Bernando Panjaitan.
The petition, titled "Rejection of
BPODT Director Extension," was initiated in response to the approaching end of his term on March 25, 2026. The initiative is set to be formally submitted to Indonesia's
Ministry of Tourism in the near future.
Petition Gains Thousands of Signatures
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KPP-KDT, the petition has already gathered thousands of signatures from tourism stakeholders across the
Lake Toba region. The group plans to deliver the document directly to Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana.
KPP-KDT representative Tamba Tua Sirait stated that the petition is intended as a public pressure effort to prevent any extension of the current leadership term. The community is also urging the government to appoint a temporary acting head (Plt) while preparing a permanent successor.
"We initiated this petition, and thousands of signatures have already been collected against the extension," Tamba said on Friday, April 17, 2026.
He added that an official letter will also be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism alongside the petition results.
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PETITION AGAINST
BPODT DIRECTOR:
KPP-KDT representative Tamba Tua Sirait emphasizes that the petition is based on concerns over performance and weak coordination in the
Lake Toba tourism sector. (Doc.
KPP-KDT)
Criticism Over Performance and CoordinationKPP-KDT also raised concerns over the performance of BPODT during Jimmy Bernando Panjaitan's tenure. Based on a hearing held at the Toba Regional Parliament, village leaders reportedly participated and shared their assessments of the agency's work.
The community outlined 11 key points of criticism, highlighting what they described as a lack of vision and weak results in developing tourism in the
Lake Toba region.
"There are 11 points in our demands. The performance shows no clear vision and very limited tangible outcomes," Tamba explained.
Weak Communication With Local StakeholdersAnother major concern raised was the lack of coordination between BPODT and local tourism actors. KPP-KDT claimed that communication throughout the tenure had been minimal and ineffective.
"There has been almost no direct communication with tourism stakeholders across the
Lake Toba area," Tamba said.
The group also criticized the agency's limited engagement with the Toba Regency Government, including missed official invitations to regional events. KPP-KDT further compared the current leadership with the previous administration under Arie Prasetyo, which they described as more open and collaborative. (IDNC)
REPORTER:
Budi Hermansyah | EDITOR:
Fik Sagala