Bali Law Makers Urge Public To Report Tourists Behaving Badly 

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A top official from the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is calling on the public to formally report any and all instances of foreigners behaving badly on the island.

The calls come as leaders feel there has been a rise in the number of foreigners on the island, disrespecting local culture and the law. 

Speaking to the press in Singaraja in Buleleng Regency, the Head of the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Pramella Y Pasaribu, emphasized her commitment to take firm action against foreigners who have been breaking the law and disrespecting Balinese culture. 

Pasaribu said, “We will not hesitate to take firm action against foreigners who violate the rules. This is a form of our commitment to maintaining state sovereignty and providing a sense of security for the Indonesian people, especially in Bali.”

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She added, “We are coordinating with the police to take action against foreigners who commit violations of order and security. However, for foreigners who violate immigration regulations, we have the authority to take action ourselves.” 

Pasaribu explained the shoe, and her teams said that the Bali Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is working to continue to monitor foreigners. She has invited the public to take part in this monitoring process.

She revealed that her teams have created a Foreigner Monitoring Team (Timpora) to supervise and take action against foreigners who have problems. “Report if any foreigner commits a violation,” she told the public. 

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This Foreigner Monitoring Team is a unit working in addition to the Tourism Task Force and the Satpol PP Tourism Police Unit.

In 2023, when the situation regarding badly behaved tourists reached a fever pitch, the Tourism Task Force teams even opened up a direct reporting hotline where concerned locals and fellow travelers could report instances of foreigners breaking the law directly to the authorities.

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This was a sharp rise in the amount of social media vigilantism on the island, where many members of the public felt that the only way to get the attention of the authorities regarding tourists breaking the law was to film such instances as they were taking place and publish the content online in the hopes that it would go viral and the authorities would be forced to follow up. 

Instances of foreigners behaving badly span across a whole spectrum of issues, starting with not wearing helmets while driving motorcycles, not wearing the appropriate attire to sacred sites and temples, fighting in the streets, theft, refusing to pay for goods in stores, engaging in organized crime and more.

Bali is clear that there is a zero-tolerance approach in place for foreigners who break the law and disrespect local customs.

However, some feel that only focusing on the poor behaviour of a tiny, tiny minority of individuals means Bali is missing an opportunity to boost the island’s public.

The Mayor of Denpasar wants to see a different approach. Mayor Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa, has personally called on the public not to ‘viralize’ or share videos of negative behavior carried out by foreign tourists while on holiday in Bali.

Wibawa told reporters, “Foreign tourists who attend not only have a negative impact, but many also bring a positive aura when visiting Bali.”

He wants to see social media filled with content that promotes a positive image of Bali, noting that this can and must include the positive actions of foreigners on the island, too. 

Wibawa asked rhetorically, “Why don’t we highlight that? Why do we only spread the negative side of tourists? For example, there is a community from Russia who often helps us clean up Sanur Beach.”

The Mayor of Denpasar concluded, “If you see Bali tourism like this, with lots of foreign tourists acting up, will you not switch to tourist areas such as Thailand, Vietnam, and so on? This is what needs to be anticipated so that the news is balanced. Positive things from foreign tourists must also be highlighted.”