Bali's peaceful rally to protest visa policy

DENPADAR (indo.com): Over 1,000 people representing the Task Force of Bali Tourism Stakeholders (ASKB)
staged a street rally on Wednesday morning to protest against the looming enactment of controversial visa policy.

The massive peaceful rally centered at Renon Square - Denpasar or the opposite to Bali governor office.

The protesters said that the imposition of the new visa policy would reduce the number of foreign tourists to Bali and therefore, they raised objections to the new policy.

The government has sought to revoke the free visa on arrival facility previously enjoyed by citizens 48 countries. The new policy, signed on March 31, was expected to come into effect six months later. However, the government is yet to announce when the policy will be implemented.

Under the new law visitors must pay US$35 for a visa when entering Indonesia and the maximum allowable stay has been cut from 60 days to 30 days.

The rally has attracted thousands of employees from the island's massive tourism industry. The rally started at 9:00 a.m. at the Bajra Sandi Monument in Puputan Field before marching to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights Office. They raised their objections about the new policy and asking Minister Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra to revoke or postpone the policy.

The rally has received support from local top ranking officials and members of parliament. Both the Governor and Parliament have sent letters to the President Megawati Sukarnoputri asking her to reconsider the decision to impose the visa policy.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB), Putu Agus Antara, expressed the hope that the government would reconsider the enactment of the new visa policy.