Every year after Nyepi, we count the number of those who violated the strict rules of the Day of Silence. Usually, they are tourists. But this time, things turned out differently. So far, there have been no reports of violations by Bali’s visitors — instead, a viral video has surfaced online featuring two Indonesian citizens.
The men were detained by the village security in the traditional village of Sumberasri in Jembrana. The two were riding a motorcycle during the Nyepi holiday on Saturday, March 29. A video showing them cruising through the streets during Nyepi quickly went viral on social media.
One of the men turned out to be a 49-year-old police officer with the initials M.C. “Judging by the smell coming from the violators, it’s safe to assume both had recently consumed alcohol,” said the head of Sumberasri village, I Ketut Subanda.
The men were spotted on the street during patrols conducted by the pecalang (traditional village security). One of the detainees did not have any identification with him. The violators were escorted to Gilimanuk, where they were handed over to the police for further investigation.
Jembrana Police Chief Endang Tri Purwanto promised to take strict measures against his subordinates if it is confirmed that the violator was indeed a fellow officer. Interestingly, the traditional punishment for violating Nyepi — a fine of 100 kilograms of rice — will not be applied in this case, as the police chief is likely to punish his subordinate according to the police ethics code.
As a reminder, during Nyepi all forms of activity are strictly prohibited, including lighting fire or electricity (amati geni), working (amati karya), leaving the house (amati lelungan), and engaging in entertainment or pleasures (amati lelanguan).
Sources: detik, tribunnews
You can add one right now!