Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the daughter of the country’s founding father Soekarno, has lashed out at the foreign nationals in Bali who she said are behaving badly and disrespecting local culture.
Speaking at a seminar today, Megawati cited an example of tourists who camped by the beach during Hari Nyepi (The Day of Silence) – a sacred day when Balinese Hindus observe silence and stay indoors.
“They stayed at the beach, set up a small tent, and probably only wore swimwear. Of course [they got] reprimanded by three pecalang (Balinese traditional security guards) [who told them not to] dress like that during Nyepi, [and then the foreigners] went on a rampage,” she said.
“I thought of telling the pecalang to clobber them. But our pecalang are kind and patient. If it were me, I’d clobber them,” she added, mimicking the gesture.
Megawati also criticized foreigners who drive motorbikes recklessly and get drunk at cafes, saying they are acting selfishly and tarnishing the dignity of Indonesia. She said she had conveyed her concern to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo – who himself is a PDI-P cadre.
“It is our dignity, I told him. Even though [Bali] is only an island, it’s still [part of] our republic,” she said.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster also happens to be a PDI-P cadre. The politician, who has made his frustrations with unruly foreigners known in the past, recently floated the idea of a “quota system” that would limit the number of travelers allowed to enter the island.
