BALI – Popular tourist destination Bali has had enough of unruly motorcyclists. Foreign tourists will not be allowed to use motorcycles to get around the Indonesian island after a string of accidents led to injuries and even deaths.
“They’re disorderly and they misbehave,” said Governor Wayan Koster on Monday, adding that from now on, foreigners should only use modes of transport prepared by tourism services that meet certain standards “to ensure quality and dignified tourism”.
But it is unclear how the ban would be upheld.
Mr Koster has sought the legal ministry’s support to let Bali revoke the visas of foreign tourists found to be riding motorbikes, or if they commit other wrongdoings, including working illegally or misusing residence permits.
The holiday destination has been marred by motorcycle accidents recently.
In February, a Russian tourist was detained by the police after riding under the influence of alcohol and crashing into a local rider, causing him to be hospitalised.
In January, a Ukrainian tourist and a Russian visitor died in a road traffic collision.
The authorities have also asked the central immigration agency to cancel a visa-on-arrival policy for Russian and Ukrainian nationals after tourists were found working illegally.
Russian nationals are among the biggest groups of foreign arrivals in Indonesia, according to official tourism data.
At least four Russian citizens were deported in March for visa violations and the immigration authorities have repeatedly warned foreigners in Bali against working on tourist visas.
Mr Koster said on Sunday he asked the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to tighten visa requirements by cancelling the visa-on-arrival facility specifically for Russian and Ukrainian citizens.
“Because they are at war, so they flocked to Bali, including those who sought comfort or came to work here,” he said, according to a post on the immigration agency’s Instagram account.
He added that these two countries were singled out because their citizens’ infractions were more “significant” than those of tourists from other places. BLOOMBERG, REUTERS
