Indomaret Shuts 7 Stores in Central Lombok: Collateral Damage from Spatial Planning, or Just Unclear Rules?

JAKARTA, NETTInpo. Com

 Indomaret is finally speaking up. Seven of its retail outlets in Central Lombok, NTB, officially closed last Saturday. The reason? A review of the region’s spatial planning by the local government.

PT Indomarco Prismatama’s Operations Director, Andreas Djajaputra, confirmed the closures when met at the Ministry of Manpower in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 26, 2026).

“7 stores were closed starting last Saturday. Because of the review of the spatial planning,” Andreas said briefly.

It sounds administrative on paper, but the impact hits immediately on the ground. Seven stores mean hundreds of employees, local supply chains, and convenience for nearby residents suddenly gone. And for now, there’s no clarity on whether or when those outlets can reopen.

“Don’t know yet. So we’re waiting for the district government’s decision,” he said.

That means the fate of Indomaret’s employees and operations is now hanging on the outcome of a spatial planning “review” with no clear timeline. No clear rules. Just a decision to shut first, sort it out later.

This isn’t the first time. The same pattern keeps repeating: modern retailers open, locals benefit, the economy moves, then suddenly they’re shut down over spatial planning issues that only seem to come up after the fact. The question is simple: why is this review happening only after the stores are already running?

For now, Indomaret can only wait. Meanwhile, people in Central Lombok lose easy access to groceries and essentials, and employees risk losing their jobs.

Is this genuine urban planning for the better, or a sign that the local business climate is still vulnerable to sudden policy shifts?

Who do you think loses the most if cases like this keep happening?