Public ‘Nudity’ in Bali
Apr 6th, 2009, in News, by Patung
A policeman from Aceh as police chief of Bali, and near naked tourists on motorbikes.
In June 2008 the new police chief of Bali, Tengku Ashikin Husein, after only being in the job two weeks admitted he was shocked to visit Kuta beach the first time and see tourists who were weren’t wearing clothes, meaning only bikinis or swimming wear.
Gee there are a lot of tourists without proper clothes on. They even travel on motorbikes like that!
Husein, who was previously police chief of Central Sulawesi but hails from Aceh by birth, said there should be a regulation against people riding motorbikes on main roads when near naked.
This is just too much. Sure, they wear helmets, but it’s rude if they don’t wear clothes.
He wasn’t sure what sort of penalty should be meted out to tourists caught under any such new rule. kompas
Tengku Ashikin Husein
However by April 2009, after questioning his subordinates and finding out that no regulation existed that required proper attire when riding, except helmets, he instructed traffic policemen to scold the near naked tourists, and keep a few t-shirts on hand to make them cover up. He made a joke:
The t-shirts are meant for foreigners, if locals find out about it they will deliberately ride around near naked so they can get a free t-shirt. Then we’ll go bankrupt.
More seriously he added that what attracted tourists from all over the world to Bali was not only it’s natural beauty or unique traditions but also its holiness. This holiness had to be protected by the police: kompas
Let’s free Bali from things that spoil it, like free sex, drugs, and near nudity on the roads.
99 Comments on “Public ‘Nudity’ in Bali”
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DumadiSatrio says:
“westernised” is ironic….since it was influence that came from west that told them to cover nudity in first place
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Pakmantri says:
I thought a graduate from PTIK should understand what Pancasila and Bhineka Tunggal Ika mean. Obviously I was wrong.
Maybe PTIK should change what it stand for into “Perguruan Tinggi Ilmu Kepicikan” instead of “Perguruan Tinggi Ilmu Kepolisian”.LOL.
Kepicikan,
Kebodohan,
Ketololan,
Keagamaan,
etc, make your choice. -
Samantha says:
Sigh… Instead of telling people to wear proper helmets – the correct way – he tells them to wear shirts. Absurd.
There are just so many people wearing those stupid plastic things, which are mostly just for the sake of or for the show. And when they do wear a standard helmet, they do not fasten the strap. Not to mention that a lot of tourist in Bali are completely reckless on a motorbike, just because they can (and -obviously- cannot back home).
I’ve always wanted to do a campaign, saying: “Just because you’re on vacation, it doesn’t mean you won’t crack your skull open when it hits the road”
Maybe I should tell Mr. Husein that. -
diego says:
Instead of asking those normative questions, anyone with idea(s) on how to uproot this alien Ashikin?
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ET says:
The next step will be to make tourists wear a jilbab. The t-shirt is only to serve as a decoy. If caught by the (shariah) police they can always put it on their head and everything will be halal and O.K.
Allahu akbar. -
Why haven’t I seen this news in local newspaper read by most balinese, BaliPost? What is so wrong with that newspaper, they never put news on things that matter (for Bali). The same goes for BaliTV.
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He keeps going on about this, Jan 15th 2009:
Tourists told to wear clothes outside beaches
DENPASAR: Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Ashikin Husein has urged tourists to wear suitable clothing when riding motorcycles or when not on the beaches to avoid violating social ethics.
“In Hawaii they bar tourists from being bare-chested in front of hotels and buildings except those on the beach. Here, we are glorifying tourism too much,” he said on the sidelines of the visit by members of the Commission I of the House of Representatives.
He said people became afraid to touch tourism-related issues especially after the island’s economy got hit by two bombings in 2002 and 2005.
Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Alit Widana said the tourism and transport police had been monitoring the presence of bare-chested and bikini-clad tourists on the roads outside the beach areas for the past four months. JP
I’ll bet they’ve been ‘monitoring’.
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News fed back into a bali mailing list. Thanks. Further investigation of Alit Widana is necessary (dhimmi). And whatever happened to this Mangku Pastika, the governor, no action?
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Aluang Anak Bayang says:
Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Ashikin Husein is right.
In the west, I do not see bules topless on bikes, in malls, etc; only in Bali. They run riot and had no respect for the locals. If you are in Indonesia, respect the culture as you expected of others visiting your country. What is the fuss about putting a t-shirt on?
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And whatever happened to this Mangku Pastika, the governor, no action?
He is dhimmi-in-chief now.
AAB
In the west, I do not see bules topless on bikes, in malls, etc; only in Bali.
I have never seen in Bali any topless bule on a bike or in a mall. Next time you see one take a picture and share it with us.
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A policeman from Aceh as police chief of Bali, and near naked tourists on motorbikes
Fair enough. I haven’t seen them topless bules on bikes or malls in Bali. I assumed there was from the opening sentence.
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If he pulled out some statistics on traffic accidents he would probably get more attention from people, rather than trying to justify covering up for religious reasons on motorcycles.
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gnome says:
It means the new police chief in bali, does not know the real world and the real social life.
he must learn about how to work like as policeman, how to make bali is far from terrorist.
I don’t think he know, that bali is barometer of Indonesian situation.
His argue is look like he is the supporter of idiot terrorist, who claim their self as jihad -
I assume what he means is – bare-chested men (who are presumably wearing shorts or something) and women wearing bikinis “when riding motorcycles or when not on the beaches”.
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Mike
If he pulled out some statistics on traffic accidents he would probably get more attention from people, rather than trying to justify covering up for religious reasons on motorcycles.
Don’t bring him to ideas or he will blame the enormous rate of traffic accidents on the distraction caused by the sight of naked bules on motorcycles.
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Achmad Sudarsono says:
Seksi Friend,
I am proud, as an Indonesian and Ukulele Player to see our POLRI standing up for what’s right, what’s important.
Seksi Friend,
All the Bule on this site should take heed: don’t wear a bikini.
Oke ?
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Lairedion says:
I also find it distasteful to see people bare-chested or in bikinis walking around in malls and shops, not only in Bali but anywhere in the world.
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I understood that until tourists began to visit Bali and leered and photographed Balinese women, they always, men and women alike were topless. It makes much more sense for both women and men not to wear anything very much as it is so hot. It is also easier for women to breastfeed.
After a short while of seeing this tourists will no longer leer and take photos, but begin to disregard the breasts as an erotic viewing but instead as source of nourishment for infants.
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I was thinking of this algorithm….
(1) Anyone who loves bali, who happens to live in Bali, can start taking videos. Record any incident where people (esp. tourist) get scolded by the police for walking around bare-chested (male) or in tank-top (female). Gather any information you can get about the incident, place, date, name of the police (or the ID of his/her car or motorbike). Upload it to youtube.
(2) We compile a collection of those videos, and create a news. The purpose of the news is showing to the world what’s happening. Make a clear reference to chief police office (ashikin hussein) who came up with this (evil) idea. Make it really clear that this is causing discontent among people, tourist feel unsafe / intimidated, bali is no longer a friendly place as it used to be (since islamist infiltrated into the island through government bodies), etc. Make it clear in the video the governor of Bali (mangku pastika) look weak, hapless, uninspired, etc. Publish it on youtube, encourage news agencies to retransmit it (reach wider audience).
(3) The expected effect of the publication of the video: fear among holiday-goers, so they cancel their plan to visit Bali. Yes, it’s going to hurt bali a little while, but it’s the price for a bigger goal. We want to see a steep decline in the visit of foureign tourists to Bali. We _want_ to see economy of Bali spiraling down because of this.
(4) Make another news, showing the discontent of the people, especially those who’re losing their jobs / business. Little riots here and there would be a nice addition. In the news, show the causality, what led to this situation (point 2).
(5) Expected result: friction start to surface between the executive — already hard pressed to show performance (esp. economic) — and the chief police officer. The business owners also need to be put on the same side of the people & executives.
(6) Uproot of ashikin hussein, and a long-lasting resentment toward people of that kind.
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@ET
Don’t bring him to ideas or he will blame the enormous rate of traffic accidents on the distraction caused by the sight of naked bules on motorcycles.
Err…, sorry…, you’re too late.
http://news.okezone.com/read/2008/06/14/1/118637/1/berpakaian-seronok-turis-di-bali-bakal-ditangkap
Langkah mantan Kapolda Sulawesi Tenggara ini seraya mendapat dukungan bawahannya. “Berpakaian kurang sopan bisa mengganggu konsentrasi pengendara lainnya. Akibatnya bisa fatal bahkan terjadi kecelakaan lalu lintas,” ujar Kasat Lantas Poltabes Denpasar Kompol Singgamata.
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lomboksurfer says:
A few bloody years back my very crazy bloody Taiwanese girl friend demanded bleedin sex right off of Nusa Dua Beach at the Sheraton Hotel. And by God that bloody woman knew how to get in front of hundreds of bleedin strangers. There we bloody were in about a little more than a bloody meter of water going at it right in the middle of the bloody afternoon and every bloody tourist and native watching us in bloody amazement. They bloody well couldn’t keep their eyes off of us and I will never forget the bloody look of awe when this surf god walked up the path to the hotel with dozens of star struck females craving for their bloody turn with the king of surfers. Not one person there raised a bloody objection or showed any discomfort to what they just bloody witnessed. That’s how I will always remember bloody Bali as an oasis of freedom in an archipelago stifled with bleedin lunatic Islamic influences. Bloody shame they now want to ruin Bali.
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Farah says:
…What will people do to me if i wear long covered dress like Afgan women in New York main street, or Australia beach, or any western country ?
Would people not stare me ? would people not talk about me or making any judgment about me ?? would people still dare to ride the same train/subway with me ?
….. i am just wondering 😀 with my small brain.0
I think if you are in some different country than yours you should respect the country culture, or beliefs.
I don’t think you will do the same thing, wear bikinies in street in middle east, or shirtless only with shorts driving your Harley D in New York street proud and careless (could we do this? i dont know… 😛 ). Or in some places in Thailand i think its the same rules.
@ Lomboksurfers
Might not notice 5 y/o girl watchin you humpin your gf at beach from hotel window (hehe).Because none tell you not to do it in public doesn’t meant you are allowed to do that.
and btw dont use the terms of lunatic islam influences…Some lunatic christian in USA or Australia or anywhere would also throw you the eyes or words “God will punish you, you will go to hell straight away” if you did that in some park/public places.
I had friends from church organization in USA whos kept their virginity until they’re married, and they had exactly same thought about sex with indonesian islam… so please don’t say WE are ruining Bali.
…just try to see from different perspective.. you’re in other people “home”, you should be polite and respect the home owner (if you call your self civilize and educated person of course)…
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Mr Tic Tac Toe says:
Ny/Tn. Farah, Yth:
Just curious.
Are you a balinese? Do you live in bali?Maybe I am just ignorant, but I never heard a balinese staring and protesting at tourists, tuh?
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Tom Bali says:
I’m an European living since 2000 in Bali and I also feel kind of offended by too relaxed holidayers (Westerners and Asians btw) dressed for the beach but browsing places where business as usual and daily life happens. Kuta is an entertainment center and therefore some visitors like to emphasize how relaxed and cool they are, showing up in a way they probably would not do at home. As long as they stick to the beach and places close by I have no problems with them, but I expect every educated person to be dressed appropriate in other places than beaches and surroundings. It’s a matter of respect and education, everywhere in the world.
Btw Bali police take into consideration to distribute free t-shirts to people not wearing proper clothes while riding bikes. I think this is a very friendly and typical Balinese approach towards this problem (so if you in need of a t-shirt you could try to catch one for free by riding naked…).
It is not a Bali specific issue. I lived a few years in Hamburg/Germany, there’s a famous red-light and entertainment district called Reeperbahn. Every weekend tourists and domestic visitors come from outside Hamburg to populate the district and behave in a way you would not believe. They come even with the intention to behave nasty and ignorant because they think that is the way to behave in a disreputable entertainment district.
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Suryo Perkoso says:
LombokSurfer is an insult to buledom.
I’d kick his sorry arse for behaving like that anywhere.
In fact I’d kick his sorry arse for just being.
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Farah said
…What will people do to me if i wear long covered dress like Afgan women in New York main street, or Australia beach, or any western country ?
…would people still dare to ride the same train/subway with me ?
Probably not. They might be afraid what’s hidden underneath.
I don’t think you will do the same thing, wear bikinies in street in middle east, or shirtless only with shorts driving your Harley D in New York street proud and careless (could we do this? i dont know… ).
My oh my. You should go and have a look in Daytona and Sturgis.
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For anyone interested, sometimes Sentul circuit offers views to local Indonesian girls wearing bikinis:
http://gadis-indonesia.blogspot.com/2008/08/sexy-umbrella-girls-in-sentul-circuit.html -
I dont see what the big argument is.
No shirt / no service.
In most places you would get a fine, in Bali you get a free t-shirt…… there is not much to complain about.
A Bikini (as the example) is “play cloths” for the beach. Not out and about cloths.
If you go strolling around someone’s neighborhood or going into peoples’ shops wearing a bikini, you are being rude to the store owner (basically saying, “i dont respect your store enough to treat it as an actual business”).When I go the gym, I wear an old pair of shorts and a dirty cheap t-shirt. When I leave the gym and go meet someone for dinner…I change into something more respectful.
If I went to the nice restaurant in my workout cloths I would be disrespecting the establishment and creating a lousy atmosphere for the other dinners.Truth be told, a lot of foreigners when they travel, tend to have a kind of feeling of entitlement. You can see it often.
It is also true that tourists tend to take advantage, and start to treat places like Bali as their own little fun Island (forgetting that people actually live there). -
@Farah: “What will people do to me if i wear long covered dress like Afgan women in New York main street”
Honestly, nothing…….then again, in New York city you could dress up as He-Man and stand on 34th street playing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida on a kazzoo and nobody will pay any attention to you.
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It seems Tengku Ashikin Husein had a bit of culture shock, moving from islamic based area to a more westernised region.