
Lalu Ahmad Zaini, the Regent of West Lombok, was arrested by the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission KPK in a sting operation on Monday, July 20, 2026. The arrest occurred in the morning at his official residence, following his attendance at a public viewing event for the 2026 World Cup final at Giri Menang Park, Lombok Barat. KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo confirmed the arrest, stating the case is related to alleged acceptance of benefits concerning projects within the Lombok Barat Regency government. Nineteen individuals were arrested in the operation, with seven, including Zaini, taken to KPK HQ for further interrogation after initial questioning. Cash and documents were seized as evidence, and the Regent's workspace and the office of the Head of the Department of Public Works, Spatial Planning, and Settlement Area Management PUPRPKP of Lombok Barat were sealed for investigation. The KPK has a maximum of 1x24 hours to determine the legal status of those arrested.
This summary was generated from a story originally published by Lombok news.
Must readMakana Pang has won the first-ever Capítulo Perfeito event held at Desert Point, Lombok, Indonesia. This marks the first time in 12 editions that the perfect-tube surfing event has taken place outside of Portugal. Pang, from Hawaii, beat Bruno Santos, Ícaro Ronchi, and Usman Trioko in the final, securing a wildcard entry into Capítulo Perfeito 2027 in Carcavelos. The event saw eight surfers ride six-foot waves for six hours at Desert Point, a location known globally for tube riding that had not previously hosted an event of this scale. Pang achieved a total score of 17.57, including the only Perfect 10 of the competition. He expressed honor at participating in the inaugural event and described getting a Perfect 10 in the final as a dream come true. Rui Costa, founder of Capítulo Perfeito, noted the challenge and risk of hosting the event in remote Lombok but confirmed Desert Point delivered, validating their concept of rewarding only time and quality inside the barrel.
BreakingThe Corruption Eradication Commission KPK has rescheduled witness examinations in several corruption cases due to volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau. KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that Lalu Rudi Iskandar, Chair of the West Lombok Regency General Elections Commission, could not attend his scheduled questioning in Jakarta on September 7, 2026, because of flight delays caused by the volcanic ash. Mount Anak Krakatau erupted on September 5, 2026, leading to flight disruptions at airports, including Soekarno-Hatta Airport near Jakarta. The West Lombok corruption case emerged from a sting operation on July 20, 2026, against Regent Lalu Ahmad Zaini. The KPK named Lalu Ahmad Zaini and President Director of PT Air Minum Giri Menang Sudirman as suspects on July 21, 2026, in an alleged conflict of interest in goods and services procurement. They, along with Alvonsus Gani, President Director of PT Meconel Sistim Instrument, are also suspects in an alleged bribery case within the West Lombok Regency Government. The KPK suspects the regent received Rp12.4 billion from these corrupt practices.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, visiting as a United Nations Development Programme UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, commended the indigenous community of Karang Bajo Village in Bayan, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara NTB, for their dedication to preserving forests, water sources, and cultural heritage. During her visit on Sunday, September 6, 2026, she observed the community's way of life, including a tree-planting activity at the Mandala Spring area within the customary forest. She engaged in dialogue with residents, expressing her admiration for their efforts to maintain a balance between nature, culture, and community life, and for passing down local knowledge to future generations. The Princess was accompanied by the Governor of NTB, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal; the Deputy Head of the District of North Lombok, Kusmalahadi Syamsuri; the Head of the North Lombok Tourism Office; and a UNDP delegation. Nikrana, a traditional leader of Karang Bajo, explained that the community's philosophy views Earth as a mother to be respected and protected, a principle reflected in their traditions and institutions. The Bayan region features four customary forest areas with at least 27 springs, vital for the community's clean water and agriculture. Karang Bajo functions as both a traditional and tourism village, where culture, nature, and community coexist.