DFAT should Remind Australians to Obey Local Laws: Bali Police

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bali’s police urged Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials to remind their fellow countrymen planning to visit the resort island to obey Indonesia's laws and regulations and respect local wisdom and values.

Speaking in connection with the DFAT officials' recent visit to the Bali police headquarters here on Saturday, this provincial police's deputy chief, Brig. Gen. I Wayan Sunartha, noted that the Australian visitors must also support Indonesia's war on addictive drugs.

The DFAT officials paid a visit to intensify their coordination with the Indonesian police in Bali Island to handle Australians embroiled in legal cases, including drug trade and usage as well as traffic violations.

Sunartha remarked that Australians visiting Bali were appealed to drive safely and abide by traffic rules during their stay in the resort island.

In securing domestic and foreign tourists, the Bali police dispatched its tourist police personnel to all tourism sites to offer immediate assistance to those encountering problems.

The tourist police personnel, who were well-versed in English language, are able to respond to the tourists' reports quickly, he stated.

Bali has become the most popular destination for Australian tourists for decades, but the Indonesian Tourism Ministry has continued to promote the archipelago's beyond Bali destinations.

Lake Toba, Wakatobi, Labuan Bajo Komodo Island, Borobudur Temple, and Raja Ampat are among the potential beyond Bali destinations.

CNN International has adjudged Raja Ampat and Labuan Bajo as the world's first and second-best snorkeling spots in 2015.

According to ANTARA, the Indonesian government has made various breakthroughs to attract more foreign tourists, including by applying a free-visa policy for select nations’ citizens keen on undertaking a social-cultural visit to Indonesia.

The social-cultural visit visa is valid for 60 days and can be extended to 4 x 30 days.
The Indonesian government has also made another breakthrough by revoking cabotage regulation for cruise ships at five major ports in the country: Belawan-Medan (North Sumatera), Tanjung Priok-Jakarta, Tanjung Perak-Surabaya (East Java), Benoa-Bali, Soekarno-Hatta, Makassar. Thus, cruise passengers can easily embark and disembark at those ports.

ANTARA