Go-Jek seems to have gotten a reprieve from President Jokowi last week after the Transport Ministry tried to shut it down, but fellow ride-app Uber is not so much out of the hot seat, at least in Bali.
The chairman of the Bali regional legislative council (DPRD), Nyoman Adi Wiryatama is demanding that Uber get sanctioned and even shut down.
According to Wiryatama, Uber is not legal and is bad for tourism in Bali—which we find to be quite ironic since many tourists seem to prefer using chauffeur service apps with fixed rates over the chances of being ripped off by opportunistic taxis and drivers.
Other than being illegal, Wiryatama’s anti-Uber arguments are not unique to Bali and echo anti-Uber sentiments that can be found around the world as the app is received with controversy. He insists we be wary of Uber because it not being regulated makes it conducive for kidnapping, rape, and other criminal acts.
And of course it goes back to the money. “Uber taxi is not registered and is not controlled. If left unchecked, there will be things that it’s left unaccountable for to the government, such as not paying taxes,” he said in Denpasar on Tuesday, as quoted by Inilah.
Wiryatama says he’s taking action by meeting with Bali’s governor Made Mangku Pastika to discuss the app.
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