A spa allegedly offering “plus-plus” services (a euphemism in Indonesia for establishments offering happy ending massages) has reportedly defied COVID-19 restrictions in Bali by remaining open, but it has so far gotten away with it because authorities can’t agree on whose jurisdiction it falls under.
Local media outlet Radar Bali reported on the matter this week, alleging that the spa is a front for prostitution. According to witnesses, the establishment has gotten a steady stream of customers even during the Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (PPKM) protocol.
Even when we ignore the plus-plus allegations for a minute, the fact that it’s been open for business during PPKM should be enough justification for authorities to investigate. And yet officials from Denpasar city and Badung regency have not acted due to a jurisdiction matter.
A Denpasar city official seems to think that the spa is within Badung regency’s borders, but another official from Badung regency said it’s clearly located in the Denpasar area.
A quick search on Google Maps suggests that the spa is located in West Denpasar, specifically on the stretch of Nakula Street, right between Sunset Road and Imam Bonjol Street. And as someone who has traversed these roads, we do understand the confusion.
It seems the wrong lesson here is that if anyone wants to run an (allegedly) illicit business, they may want to consider operating on municipal borders.
We must stress that we are not condoning a life of crime for anyone, as even though the spa is still up and running, it will only be a matter of time before authorities get their map out and decide who will dish out the punishment on the establishment.
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