Bali’s tourist transport drivers have united and taken decisive action. They are demanding that the provincial government fulfill six key demands within six months. A protest under the slogan “Tourism in Bali is not okay” was held in front of the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) building in Denpasar.
This new protest follows a previous one, as drivers remain dissatisfied with policies they believe infringe on their rights. Specifically, the issue revolves around limiting the number of online taxis in Bali and restricting tourists from renting personal vehicles.
It’s understandable why taxi drivers are frustrated—online services have made it much harder for them to charge tourists triple rates or, for example, take them on unnecessarily long routes to create the illusion of an extensive and tiring journey.
Some of their demands are reasonable. However, others conflict with fundamental rights of Indonesian citizens, such as freedom of movement and employment opportunities.
The protest coordinator, I Made Darmaiasa, stated:
“We demand that promises be fulfilled. We were told that after the governor’s inauguration, decisions would be made. However, we have yet to receive a response regarding the special committee, despite previous assurances that a working group would be formed.”
The main demands include:
1. Limiting the number of online taxis in Bali.
2. Regulating and reorganizing the operations of car and motorcycle rental businesses.
3. Setting standard rental rates for transportation.
4. Establishing requirements for tourist transport drivers coming from outside Bali.
5. Reviewing Bali Governor Regulation No. 40 of 2019 regarding transportation apps.
6. Incorporating these demands into a regional regulation.
Approximately 5,000 people participated in this protest—far more than the 1,000 who joined the first one. A total of 115 driver associations from across Bali took part in the demonstration.
“Many are joining because drivers are suffering heavy losses. They are forced to give part of their earnings to intermediaries, fares are too low, and they have to work excessively hard. Recently, in Kuta, a driver even died while trying to meet his daily quota,” added Darmaiasa.
The forum’s secretary, Gede Julius, stated that their demands must be included in a regional law within six months. Otherwise, they will organize an even larger protest.
“We have united, regardless of whether we are online taxi drivers, traditional taxi drivers, or private transport providers. We share the same fate and the same problem: Bali’s tourist transport industry is in crisis,” he said.
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