Bali Governor Wayan Koster said the Bali Silent Disco run in Canggu could not be described as discriminatory.
Indonesians were among the participants. By then, the two Dutch organizers had already been banned from entering the country, while just a day earlier Koster himself had called for tough measures.
The report on the run differed from what the media had reported, he said: “There were Indonesians there. That means it is not true.” Running is allowed as long as it does not disturb anyone, the governor added, and the event took place in the morning.
The Bali governor had previously taken a different position, saying that police were looking for the organizers, that such incidents must not happen again, and that Badung was investigating the matter on his instructions.
The immigration authorities did not change their position. On 24 July, the Immigration Directorate called the situation “a state within a state” and blacklisted the organizers. They are Dutch nationals aged 35 and 37; one held a work ITAS and the other an investor ITAS. They left voluntarily, flying to Singapore through Ngurah Rai Airport on 23 July. The sponsoring company was summoned for questioning.
The run took place in Canggu on 22 July. The scandal began with screenshots of messages showing that Indonesians were denied registration while foreigners received immediate confirmation.
The organizers from the Entourage Bali community apologized, blamed the rejections on a glitch in the automatic approval of applications through WhatsApp, and suspended their activities.
Meanwhile, the Badung Regent ordered the creation of a notification system for events held in public places. If a gathering grows into an event involving a large crowd, commercial activity, and entertainment, the organizer must complete the permit process for a mass event. “Regardless of whether the organizer is an Indonesian citizen or a foreigner, the same approach applies,” the regent said.
Organizing events is considered work. It is prohibited on tourist and social-cultural visas. Legal Indonesia can help you choose the right visa for a specific activity.
You can add one right now!