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Bali Deploys Immigration Task Force To Monitor Foreign Tourists' Behaviour

Bali Deploys Immigration Task Force To Monitor Foreign Tourists' Behaviour

BusinessToday6 days ago
Bali Governor believes that the immigration patrol task force, inaugurated on Tuesday, will help deter misconduct by foreign nationals during their stay in the region.
'This aims to maintain order among foreigners in Bali, as some of them have behaved badly,' he said.
He then expressed the hope that their collaboration will help reduce the frequent immigration, legal, and cultural violations by foreigners in Bali.
Earlier, in May 2023, Koster issued guidelines for foreign tourists to prevent them from violating Bali's laws and cultural regulations.
The guide covers the dos and don'ts listed in the Bali Governor's Circular Letter Number 4 of 2023 on New Orders for Foreign Tourists While in Bali.
Bali has three Immigration offices, including the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, which covers Kuta, North Kuta, and South Kuta.
Next, the Denpasar Immigration Office covers Denpasar city; the northern part of Badung district, comprising the sub-districts of Abiansemal, Mengwi, and Petang; as well as Gianyar, Klungkung, Bangli, and Tabanan districts.
The Singaraja Immigration Office covers Buleleng, Jembrana, and Karangasem Districts.
According to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, it deported 148 foreign nationals in the period from January to July 24, 2025. Most of the cases—66 in total—involved foreign nationals overstaying their visas.
Immigration has established a patrol task force that will target foreign nationals suspected to be violating immigration rules at several tourist spots in Bali. The task force will operate from August 1 to August 31, and its term could potentially be extended.
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Bali Deploys Immigration Task Force To Monitor Foreign Tourists' Behaviour
Bali Deploys Immigration Task Force To Monitor Foreign Tourists' Behaviour

BusinessToday

time6 days ago

  • BusinessToday

Bali Deploys Immigration Task Force To Monitor Foreign Tourists' Behaviour

Bali Governor believes that the immigration patrol task force, inaugurated on Tuesday, will help deter misconduct by foreign nationals during their stay in the region. 'This aims to maintain order among foreigners in Bali, as some of them have behaved badly,' he said. He then expressed the hope that their collaboration will help reduce the frequent immigration, legal, and cultural violations by foreigners in Bali. Earlier, in May 2023, Koster issued guidelines for foreign tourists to prevent them from violating Bali's laws and cultural regulations. The guide covers the dos and don'ts listed in the Bali Governor's Circular Letter Number 4 of 2023 on New Orders for Foreign Tourists While in Bali. Bali has three Immigration offices, including the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, which covers Kuta, North Kuta, and South Kuta. Next, the Denpasar Immigration Office covers Denpasar city; the northern part of Badung district, comprising the sub-districts of Abiansemal, Mengwi, and Petang; as well as Gianyar, Klungkung, Bangli, and Tabanan districts. The Singaraja Immigration Office covers Buleleng, Jembrana, and Karangasem Districts. According to the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, it deported 148 foreign nationals in the period from January to July 24, 2025. Most of the cases—66 in total—involved foreign nationals overstaying their visas. Immigration has established a patrol task force that will target foreign nationals suspected to be violating immigration rules at several tourist spots in Bali. The task force will operate from August 1 to August 31, and its term could potentially be extended.

Contributions, Visits To Schools Must Follow MOE Guidelines — Fadhlina
Contributions, Visits To Schools Must Follow MOE Guidelines — Fadhlina

Barnama

time21-07-2025

  • Barnama

Contributions, Visits To Schools Must Follow MOE Guidelines — Fadhlina

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- All forms of contributions or external involvement, including by dignitaries and politicians, in institutions under the Ministry of Education (MOE) must comply with existing guidelines, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said today. She said all forms of contributions or public funding must be channelled in accordance with the provisions outlined in the MOE's Circular Letter No. 3 of 2018: Guidelines on Channelling and Receiving Contributions from the Private and Non-Private Sectors to Government Schools and Government-Aided Schools under the MOE, dated March 29, 2018. 'These contributions are also meant to ensure professional interaction within educational institutions and to prioritise the safety, well-being and welfare of the school community,' she said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat. She was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) regarding the procedures for organisations, such as companies, foundations, or elected representatives, to make contributions to schools. Fadhlina said any visit or involvement by dignitaries and politicians is also subject to compliance with MOE's Circular Letter No. 4 of 2023: Guidelines on Invitations or Visits by Dignitaries and Politicians to Educational Institutions under the MOE, dated Feb 21, 2023. 'These two sets of guidelines are important to ensure that contributions and external involvement are conducted prudently, with a focus on educational benefits and in line with the principles of transparency and harmony within the school ecosystem,' she said. In response to a supplementary question from Datuk Lo Su Fui (GRS-Tawau) on the assurance that the MOE would review the syllabus to align with current market needs, Fadhlina said the ministry has a system to help students choose educational and career pathways that match their qualifications and interests. 'These students are guided by counsellors and teachers, and based on their academic results and co-curricular involvement, they are able to identify suitable courses to pursue, especially after SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia),' she said. Earlier, in response to Lo's original question, Fadhlina said the MOE is strengthening efforts to improve graduate employability through the Malaysia Education Development Plan (PPPM) 2026–2035, with a focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in line with current needs and global competition.

Bali to clamp down on illegal foreign-owned businesses
Bali to clamp down on illegal foreign-owned businesses

The Star

time04-06-2025

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Bali to clamp down on illegal foreign-owned businesses

DENPASAR: Bali Governor I Wayan Koster has formed a special task force to crack down on illegal foreign-owned businesses, following widespread permit violations by foreign investors that are believed to be harming the local economy. According to Koster, the team will consist of local stakeholders and tourism associations and will be tasked with thoroughly auditing tourism business permits in Bali. "I will also issue a circular that will serve as a legal basis for the Bali Public Order Agency [Satpol PP] and the Bali Police to take action against businesses that violate their permits," Koster said on Sunday (June 1), as reported by Antara. He will also require all travel agencies, including those owned by foreigners, to join the local tourism association to ensure better management and oversight. Koster said the crackdown was essential to protect Bali from 'economic, social and tourism setbacks', arguing that illegal foreign businesses might exacerbate the wealth gap on the island and accelerate the deterioration of the local economy. 'There are numerous challenges facing tourism in Bali, such as traffic congestion, mounting waste issues, illegal villas and rowdy tourists. While we are committed to addressing these problems, the root causes must be tackled upstream through stronger regulations and stricter permit enforcement,' he said. Koster stated that in recent years, he has received numerous complaints about an increasing number of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bali being operated or controlled by foreign nationals. According to existing regulations, foreign investment (PMA) businesses must have a minimum capital of Rp 10 billion (US$613,000), excluding the value of land and buildings, an amount that exceeds the capital of MSMEs. Any investment below that threshold is strictly reserved for domestic direct investment (PMDN). However, Koster said many foreign investors have been exploiting loopholes in the government's Online Single Submission (OSS) system for business licensing, allowing them to dominate strategic sectors in Bali's tourism industry, even at the micro level. The government launched the OSS system in 2018 to streamline and simplify the business licensing process, allowing business owners to apply for permits through a single integrated online platform instead of navigating multiple state institutions. However, oversight of the system has been relatively lax, leading to various violations in the field. For example, there have been numerous reports of foreign nationals using the identities of local Bali residents to register their MSMEs through the OSS system. Governor Koster revealed that more than 400 car rental and tour businesses in Badung Regency, a major tourism hub in Bali, are owned by foreign nationals. 'Most of these businesses don't even have a physical office in Bali, and their owners are not based here. This is unacceptable. Bali cannot be treated as a free trade zone at the expense of its own people,' he said. In November, National Economic Council (DEN) chairman Luhut Pandjaitan stated that President Prabowo Subianto had instructed his aides to closely monitor foreign companies operating in Bali and to implement stricter regulations. "Violations of business permits by foreign investors are a serious problem that have created unfair competition and significantly harmed local businesses,' he said. Overtourism and overdevelopment have become serious issues in Bali as tourism returns to the island following the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports of rowdy tourists violating local customs and unlicensed businesses competing unfairly with locals have become increasingly common in recent years. Earlier this month, the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) reported an approximate 20 per cent decrease in hotel occupancy rates, despite the rising number of tourists visiting the island. The association attributed this trend to travelers increasingly choosing 'illegal accommodations', such as unlicensed luxury kos-kosan (boarding houses) and villas. In January and February, Indonesian immigration authorities detained 312 foreign nationals in Bali for visa violations related to problematic foreign investments. A few months earlier, authorities revoked the business permits of 267 foreign companies for failing to meet the Rp 10 billion capital requirement. - The Jakarta Post/ANN

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