After numerous reported incidents of foreigners in Bali refusing to follow COVID-19 health protocols over the past few months, an official from immigration warned yesterday that visitors may be deported if they continue to violate the rules.
Eko Budianto, who heads the immigration department at the Bali office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, said authorities have recorded data of foreigners who have been caught without masks or violating other health protocols in the province.
“So if they continue to violate the rules, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of us acting on the matter by deporting them,” Eko said yesterday, as quoted by Detik.
Eko explained that under Indonesia’s 2011 Immigration Law, immigration officials are authorized to implement the Administrative Act from Immigration should they deem that any foreign national is conducting dangerous activities, suspected to be endangering safety and public order, or being disrespectful and disobeying the law. These acts include the cancellation of stay permits and deportation, among others.
“When they violate [health protocols] it’s clear that they are violating the law, we can send them home or deport them,” Eko added.
Bali began enforcing a mandatory mask rule in September to curb the spread of the coronavirus, subjecting violators with either a fine of IDR100,000 (US$7.11) or social sanctions if they are caught without masks in public.
Authorities in Badung regency previously said foreign nationals have made the bulk of mask rule violators in the area.
Between Jan. 11-18 alone, the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) in Badung caught 74 people for violating health protocols, 71 of whom were foreign nationals.
Governor Wayan Koster previously said that anyone without masks will be denied entry from tourist sites and restaurants, as officials are looking into the possibility of subjecting foreign nationals to higher fines if they are caught without masks.
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