Wayan Koster, the Governor of Bali, has announced his intention to restrict foreign tourists from renting motorbikes. The restriction will be made legal through a regional regulation (Perda).
“There is already a Bali Governor’s regulation (Pergub) regarding the management of Bali tourism,” Koster said at a press conference on Sunday, 12th of March 2023, at the Bali Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) Office.
“The tourists will have to travel in cars rented from travel agencies. They are not permitted to use motorbikes or any other vehicles that are not provided by a travel agent,” he added.
He also stated that foreign tourists would no longer be able to borrow or rent motorbikes under this regulation, which would go into effect this year. “It is no longer permitted to borrow or rent motorbikes. This will begin in 2023, following the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Putu Jayan Danu Putra, the head of the Bali Regional Police (Polda Bali), stated that the Bali Regional Police had taken firm action against foreigners who violated traffic laws. Furthermore, the Bali Regional Police have educated rental owners who rent out their vehicles to foreigners.
“We educate rental vehicles that will be rented out to foreigners to always follow existing traffic rules,” said Bali Police Chief.
The Bali Motorbike Rental Association (PRM), on the other hand, objected to the governor’s policy, which would restrict foreign tourists from renting motorbikes in Bali.
The restriction on foreign visitors renting motorcycles in Bali, according to Dedek Warjana, chairman of PRM Bali, needs to be more timely. He asserts that this policy will ruin small local businesses.
“This rule needs to be tightened. Foreigners imitate the behaviours of locals. Therefore, if foreigners or locals break traffic laws, something must be done,” Warjana said on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
He then disclosed that The Bali Motorbike Rental Association will hold a meeting with other Bali rental organisations to talk about this issue. They urged the governor to reconsider the proposed rules that would make it illegal for foreign visitors to Bali to rent motorbikes.
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