Senators in Bali are once again calling for tougher action against tourists and foreign nationals who break the law and misbehave in the province.
The calls come after top Bali senators met with the top-ranking officers from the Bali Police to discuss new strategies for dealing with unruly foreigners on the island.
The meeting was held by Deputy Chairman I of the Bali DPRD, Wayan Disel Astawa, on 24th June 2025. Astawa was accompanied by Deputy Chairman III I Komang Nova Sewi Putra and Chairman of Commission II Nyoman Budiutama.
Other leading officials from around Bali Province included top-ranking officers from Bali Police, the Head of the Bali Province Kesbangpol Agency, the Head of the Bali Province Satpol PP, the Dukcapil PMD Service, the PMPTSP Service, the Traditional Village Advancement Service, the Bali Provincial Secretariat Legal Bureau, and the Ngurah Rai Class I Special TPI Immigration Office.
They all joined together to discuss the issue of the increasing number of foreign nationals in the province who are being found to be breaking the law and disrespecting local customs.
Speaking in the meeting, the Deputy Chairman of the Bali DPRD, Komang Nova Sewi Putra, tabled the motion to deport foreign nationals who break the law as an assertive action to maintain Bali’s security.
Putra shared, “If we were abroad in a fight, we would immediately deport them. Why isn’t it implemented in Bali? Once caught, deport them. The effect is to make Bali safe.”
He also called for continued action against foreigners abusing the pre-investment and investment visa categories across the province. Putra noted, “Bali needs investment, but quality investment. Not a fake investment. There are also many frauds under the guise of investment.”
Putra called for stricter enforcement of immigration law and strict supervision of foreigners in the province, both tourists and those residing on the island for work, business, or retirement. He shared, “Find out who has a work visa, who is just on vacation, who is just causing trouble. That must be clear.”
In response, the Chairman of Commission I of the Bali DPRD, Nyoman Budiutama, stated that the security situation in Bali recently requires serious handling, especially given the spike in criminal cases involving foreign immigrants and permit violations.
“The most prominent are conventional crimes such as theft and traffic violations by foreign nationals, as well as violations of residence permits used for business.”
Budiutama noted that security and safety, as well as wider law enforcement issues in Bali, are the responsibility of not only the police but also all security agencies.
He shared, “Traditional villages have traditional security, and the provincial government has prepared the system. All that remains is a collaboration with the police.”
Top Bali Senators and security officials expressed concerns about updated figures showing that the number of disturbances caused by foreigners on the island is increasing.
The Head of the Operations Bureau (Ka Ops) of the Bali Police, Senior Commissioner Soelistijono, representing the Bali Police Chief, Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya, presented data and analysis of the latest figures to the meeting.
Data show that Bali Police recorded 3,538 disturbances to public order and security (kamtibmas) from January to July 21, 2025, conducted by both Indonesian nationals and foreigners.
Of that number, 2,776 were criminal cases, including conventional crimes, transnational crimes, and violations of state assets.
Soelistijono explained, “Bali’s security is not solely the responsibility of the authorities, but all stakeholders. If it is not maintained together, our tourism could lose its direction. We must start thinking about quality, not just quantity.”
He confirmed that foreign nationals were involved in 108 cases as perpetrators and 176 as victims. Crimes conducted by foreign nationals were most often assault and fraud, while the data shows that crimes impacting foreign victims were dominated by cases of theft, robbery, and extortion.
The data set shows that there were 40 drug cases involving foreign nationals, and the majority of foreign nationals came from Russia, Australia, the United States, India, and Ukraine.
Traffic violations are also noted to be on the rise, with the data showing that most perpetrators hail from Russia, Australia, and China. “Driving violations by foreign nationals, such as driving without helmets and license plates, some imitate residents. This is homework for all of us.”
Soelistijono concluded, “We have invited consuls twice to remind their citizens to obey local rules and culture,” Adding, “If security is shaken, then not only the tourism sector will be affected, but Bali’s reputation as a world destination will also be tarnished.”
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