Bali Video Goes Viral: Local Refuses To Pay Fine For Not Wearing Face-mask

A video has gone viral of a local man who refused to pay a fine he received for not wearing a mask.

Civil Service Officers including police and military have been conducting operations at several different public areas in Bali to enforce prevention protocols.

An incident occurred during an operation called “Yustisi Operation” on Jalan Gajah Mada, Klungkung District on Saturday (29/1).

 The officer caught a local man, identified as Dewa, without a mask and issued him a fine of USD 7 (IDR 100,000) for violating safety protocols. 

The confrontation got heated as Dewa became furious when the officer asked him to pay the fine. Dewa began arguing with officers, his justification being that he forgot to wear the face mask as he was in a hurry.

“I know the rule, but I’m in a hurry. It’s so hard to earn money nowadays, and now I have to pay for this because you have zero tolerance.” Dewa said. 

A witness at the location recorded the incident and uploaded it to social media. It didn’t take long before the video became viral as many people seem to support Dewa’s cause.

Meanwhile, the Head of Klungkung Public Civil Service Officer, Putu Suarta has confirmed the incident.

“It doesn’t matter if you only go for a short or long distance, rules are rules. Everyone should wear a mask, and properly cover their mouth and nose whenever they go to public areas.” Suarta concluded.