Bali Governor: Travel Warnings over Mt. Agung Should be Revoked  

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika wants five countries to revoke travel warnings over Mount Agung.

“Please revoke the travel warnings; nothing happened here; people act as if there’s a catastrophe in Bali,” he told consul generals in a meeting at the governor’s office in Bali on October 4.

Read: PVMBG Mount Agung in Bali Not Erupted

Five countries have issued travel warnings: Australia, the United States, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK. The Governor had invited consul generals of 35 countries but Brazil and Sri Lanka failed to attend the meeting.

At the meeting, Pastika is hopeful that foreign tourist will not cancel their trips to the resort island. He added that Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Tanah Lot and Bedugul remain safe to visit.

Read: Bali Governor Claims Tourism Unaffected by Mount Agung Status

According to the Governor, consul generals need to understand the situation in Bali. With regard to Mount Agung activity, Pastika said that the current situation is different to that of 1963 when it last erupted. He explained that the means of transport, communication device, power supply and access roads are better now.

“It must be explained, Balinese are not primitive. In fact, the evacuees use cars, like CRV, Fortuner, bring trucks…” he noted.

Meanwhile, Bali Tourism Board Director Anak Agung Gede Yuniartha Putra said that tourism activity remains normal.

BRAM SETIAWAN