Bali governor: Extramarital sex ban will not affect foreign tourists

Bali governor: Extramarital sex ban will not affect foreign tourists
Bali Governor Wayan Koster
Avatar of Harry Johnson
Written by Harry Johnson

Foreign visitors planning to spend their holidays in Indonesia should not be concerned about being affected by a new law.

Legislators in Indonesia voted in several amendments to Indonesia’s criminal code last week, including one that institutes criminal penalties of up to one year in prison for sex outside of marriage and up to six-month imprisonment for cohabitating with a member of the opposite sex without a marriage license.

Parliament members behind the bill, which was passed with unanimous support, have praised the changes to the country’s criminal code as a much-needed departure from the vestige of Dutch colonial rule and a way to “protect the institution of marriage” and uphold “Indonesian values” in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

The extramarital sex ban law is expected to go in effect in three years.

Wayan Koster, the Governor of Indonesia’s prime tourist destination – Bali, issued a statement yesterday, trying to clarify new controversial law and its potential devastating effect on the country’s tourism industry.

According to the governor, foreign visitors planning to spend their holidays in Indonesia should not be concerned about being affected by a new law banning sex outside of marriage.

New extramarital sex ban will not apply to foreign tourists, as only those against whom a parent, spouse, or child file a complaint will be subject to prosecution, Koster announced.

According to Koster, the government of Bali would make sure that “there will be no checking on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation, such as hotels, villas, apartments, guest houses, lodges and spas.” 

Neither Bali public officials nor community groups will be carrying out inspections of tourists’ marital status, the governor assured.

Governor’s ‘clarification’ comes after the country’s tourism industry board branded the new law as “totally counter-productive” legislation that could scare away foreign visitors at a time when Indonesia’s economy and tourism were only starting to recover from the crushing effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia’s tourism officials had previously expected the number of foreign arrivals to reach pre-pandemic levels of six million annual travelers by 2025.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Share to...