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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diego says:
To me the point is not about walking around in the streets / entering shops bare-chested. Anyway, allow me to list my point of views:
(1) Walking around in the streets bare-chested is actually quite common in Bali, especially in the rural areas / villagers / near & around the beach. Of course you normally wouldn’t see that in places like downtown Denpasar / any formal places. People know how to dress, local or bules. So the statement from that Ashikin Hussein “Salah-salah, warga lokal yang kemudian ramai-ramai telanjang badan ke jalanan karena mendapat kaos. Jangan! Jangan itu sampai terjadi, kita bisa bangkrut.” is actually an insult to the people of Bali and the majority of the tourist. That’s only coming from people with holier-than-thou attitude.
(2) _If_ someone enters my store for example, not appropriately dressed / somehow I feel underappreciated, the decision whether to do business with him / her is mine. I don’t need anyone else, less POLICE, to tell me that / take action on my behalf. People has their own sense of dignity. Having police to care of that for us is like an insult to our own sense of dignity.
My objection, as a Balinese, is that this guy, Ashikin Hussein, coming a completely different background / society, which is obviously very incompatible / opposed to the society of Bali, suddenly dictate that kind sensitive thing (plus the insult, point #1 above). That attitude, to me, is far more unacceptable than people walking in bare-chested in my store / around my house.
Balinese actually is doing the same thing, remember before you enter a temple, you are offered to wear balinese sarong and sash? We rarely heard case of tourist rejecting that offer, and insisting to enter naked. Even if they did, I’m sure people would ask him / her to go away. But the point is, in my view, it’s not the POLICE’s business to put their hands in that matter.
Beside, we know what’s cooking (with this “himbauan” from the police chief). Call me paranoid, but islamists are to be seen with suspicious eyes, always.
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DumadiSatrio says:
@diego,
I would agree with both your points.I would ask, how good is the oversight of the local government with the police?
As far as I know, the police could not override the ordinances of the local government.
Since in his position, he works for the people of Bali, is there a system in place to check him, if he steps out of bounds? -
Suryo Perkoso says:
I have a feeling that LombokSurfer may be our very own swan eating Polak.
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TheWrathOfGrapes says:
Achmad Sudarsono Says:
April 7th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
All the Bule on this site should take heed: don’t wear a bikini.Yup Achmad, I don’t like the sight of hairy-chested Bules wearing bikinis either.
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tuwaga says:
My objection, as a Balinese, is that this guy, Ashikin Hussein, coming a completely different background / society, which is obviously very incompatible / opposed to the society of Bali, suddenly dictate that kind sensitive thing (plus the insult, point #1 above). That attitude, to me, is far more unacceptable than people walking in bare-chested in my store / around my house.
I completely agree.
Bali’s laid back culture has been around for years and that has become one of the reason people keep coming back to Bali.
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ET says:
@ DumadiSatrio
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).Not only in Bali, but everywhere. And to be frank it’s the British who are the worst. There are holiday resorts in Europe like Greece and Malta where they are not welcome anymore, to the extent that some big hotels who usually drape the national flags of their guests at the entrance, refuse to do so with the Union Jack. Same thing with the football hooligans. It seems that when they have a chance to leave their island they think they should start behaving like pigs or worse.
Since in his position, he works for the people of Bali, is there a system in place to check him, if he steps out of bounds?
No, not as far as I know. But he will get lots of criticism in the local media to the point that he may have to step down or change his attitude as has happened with a former Polda.
@ diego
Walking around in the streets bare-chested is actually quite common in Bali, especially in the rural areas / villagers / near & around the beach.
Yes, as far far as the men are concerned. In the street where I live lots of local men wear no shirt when the sit outside or jalan-jalan. In the more remote places even some women are topless and when it’s mandi-time those who have no bathroom at home splash around half-naked in the rivers and canals.
But I agree that on a motorcycle people should wear proper cloths, not for moralistic reasons but for their own safety and protection. The same goes for a decent helmet. I once was in a traffic accident with my motorcycle and man, was I lucky to wear a helmet and protective clothing.
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as has happened with a former Polda.
Kapolda, of course
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@ET: “it’s the British who are the worst.”
Honestly, yes, that was exactly who I was thinking.
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rayner says:
“Yes, as far far as the men are concerned. In the street where I live lots of local men wear no shirt when the sit outside or jalan-jalan. In the more remote places even some women are topless and when it’s mandi-time those who have no bathroom at home splash around half-naked in the rivers and canals.”
“But I agree that on a motorcycle people should wear proper cloths, not for moralistic reasons but for their own safety and protection. The same goes for a decent helmet. I once was in a traffic accident with my motorcycle and man, was I lucky to wear a helmet and protective clothing.”
I think that quite shortly the stores will have to shut off the air conditioning. It is not only going to be more expensive as the cost of fuel rises but general shortages of fuel will occur as global warming starts to impact the world. The way in which most modern stores are constructed do not allow a cooling air flow. Then when you go out the contrast with the tropical heat is not particularly good for you.
I suspect that some people object to the sight of male or female bodies because of religious concerns. I don’t understand why as many other tropical environments have no such revulsion and you are perfectly free to be seen in public with just a loincloth on. What is it about some religions that have this kind of aversion? After all aren’t all bodies created by God? Would God have created something which would be considered repulsive or obscene? Nowhere in my readings of sacred texts do I read that the unclothed body is obscene.
Now some religions teach that an unclothed woman’s body is so tempting to men that she should hide every part of her body. In my experience living in cultures that have no problem with unclothed females of males, this is not so. After a short period of acclimatisation men and women both become quite used to the sight and it doesn’t bother them at all.
Of course this would not apply to some religions who do not allow a man any sexual experience until he can afford to marry which may be not until he is in his late 30″s. Of course prostitution and homosexuality is also prohibited, so the male becomes extremely frustrated and will likely become quite violent if he glimpses an ankle or another aspect of the female form. He would almost certainly regard this as a deliberate provocation, although this in many cases is not so. This is I believe behind most of the dissonance between men and women and the edicts prohibiting certain kinds of behavior and rigid rules of dress.
As far as I know Balinese society is fairly relaxed about sexual issues. Sexual experiences are not prohibited but prostitution is not encouraged . The attitude to homosexuality also seems to be tolerant as far as I can see. As the previous poster which I have quoted also goes into the attitudes of the Balinese. I wonder if this attitude is changing. If so, why?
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It is sometimes very difficult for a tourist to see very young children riding with their parents on motorcycles with out protective clothing. But then I remember that many of our beliefs and customs would be equally upsetting for a Balinese to observe. When I first came to Bali I would complain to my Balinese friends about this and when I inquired at the local hospital and found that many people including children are often severely injured would nag them.
I stopped after looking at the way we in the West horribly abuse our children with neglect of their well being. Many of them grow up violent and very dissatisfied with life. Not being able to be intimate and loving, never understanding how to behave, be kind and caring. Many are sexually abused when they are very young and physically abused as well.
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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 ”
Well it is somewhat difficult to sell clothes to nudists. Women who are generally unclothed breastfeed babies so formula makers have no market. Capitalism soon cottoned on to how they have no markets in such a culture, so it was necessary to change it.
The use of religion is a great way of convincing people that their behavior is obscene. Hence the proliferation of religious beliefs. Aboriginal cultures in tropical cultures that have ample rainfall or have developed ingenious ways of finding water do not try to make people feel guilty but are usually tolerant of nudity. I would describe them as spiritual beliefs rather than religious.
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Peter says:
Boo-hoo, tourists might be asked to show some decency and respect for Indonesian cultural norms. What a travesty.
I hope a happy medium can be reached here, in any case.
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“Not only in Bali, but everywhere. And to be frank it’s the British who are the worst. There are holiday resorts in Europe like Greece and Malta where they are not welcome anymore,”
They are no longer welcome in Britain either. We get young women and men drinking themselves senseless, vomiting and pissing in the streets, Having sex with strangers very promiscuously, getting pregnant and picking up diseases. Fighting and picking very aggressive arguments with each other. The police have a hell of a job keeping order.
The National Health Service is under great strain trying to deal with alcoholism. A & E departments are crammed every night with abusive men and women who have imbibed to excess. Many develop long term conditions such as kidney failure which costs our nation a lot of money and which could be better used for education and care for the elderly.
The range of injuries is extreme from swollen brains from falling and hitting the road with their heads, knife wounds and being beaten and kicked senseless. And by law they have to be treated. Some are in need of emergency treatment so that other patients who also need help have to wait.
In the last twenty five years the whole picture of life in Britain has changed. The basic cause is the inequality that exists in Britain. We have a large underclass who do not get enough money from their work to adequately support a family. And the major change in the last twenty five years is the media showing images of wealthy celebrities who are very spoiled and having lots of sex, and people long to be like them. These celebrities use their bodies in activities such as games, fashion and very non productive activities. Quite pathetic, and quite new.
The older generation were brought up by parents who cared for their children but this is no longer so. In Bali at least you don’t have many people who flaunt their wealth or life style. Everyone is in the same position with some exceptions. That does make it easier to put up with extreme poverty. Not ideal I know, and also there is a very strong social situation that frowns on the extreme behavior that I have described which exists in Britain.
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WNI says:
Just want to share experiences here,
back a couple years ago ,went to Mc D near Kuta area.As`usual many bules visited with their near naked cloth.
When i stood in front of the counter start to order,came to the next counter 2 beautiful bule girls ,wearing very near naked bikini,the kind of their panties are only very small piece in front and string in the back,showed those side by side flesh.I’m an Indonesian countrified man,did i shocked,or get lust ? nope! just no longer had a desire to eat.Once another day in Den pasar ,a busy day in a Bank far from the beach.In a long line to reach the teller counter.Every body weared proper cloth,i mean in standard way – what is that standard way,you know what i mean – .
suddenly came in 2 bules wearing only their swim trunk,not even sandal,asked the security guard want to meet the manager.Wow very modern type ! i wonder did they do it in their origin ?
Hey did i hear some of you said “so what ? is it problem with you ?”Ha ha ha no ! everything’s very very Ok in Bali.
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@ET
Since in his position, he works for the people of Bali, is there a system in place to check him, if he steps out of bounds?
No, not as far as I know. But he will get lots of criticism in the local media to the point that he may have to step down or change his attitude as has happened with a former Polda.
What local media? BaliPost? BaliTV?
So far what I see in those media… dhimmitude.
Just look at the headlines in BaliPost, for example. Nothing that really cuts into the core of the matter. Bland, soft. It’s dominated by lame “news” like: clashes between village, lame / orde-baru style “report” of some upacara adat, etc.
Nothing that really makes people think: we’re in crisis. we need to do something together (and how). etc.
Never do they mention the word “wahabbi” in their headline (eventhough it’s a clear present danger). I thought those media are owned by balinese (K. Nadha)? But why do they never report those threats in a frontal manner, for the sake of survival of the balinese culture / society? Political correctness overboard? Dhimmitude?
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Oigal says:
If you market an area as cheap and provide sub standard infrastructure, polluted beaches with touts and louts (interestingly rarely Balinese) flogging garbage on every street corner .. you would expect what standard of tourists?.
Perhaps an alternative would the balinese to send the other domestic immigrants packing back to their own islands reclaim the tourist industry and their culture in a way they see fit.
Its hardly debatable that it is not the Balinese feeding and enabling the seedier side of the tourist industry.
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Farah says:
@ Tic tac
Nope.. i am not balinese, i didn’t live in Bali, just indonesian girl who love bali so much for its culture. Just stay there for 10 days, last year.
I prefer to see pretty balinese girls with their dancing dress rather than see them walking half naked everywhere..errhh ofcourse i think i rarely real balinese girls wear bikinies tho.
Just hope next 10 years i would still be able to see these beautiful island with its cultures, language, dress…checker materials everywhere..
..somehow cant really imagine bali girls dancing with their bikinies.. eww……@ ET
..Thats what i thought…
I watch it at ESPN.. girls bikinies… race.. yeah.. (rolling my eyes).. USA doesnt have traditional clothes (have they??) or original cultures except from indian (im loosing my point here and there.. i know!).@ Dumadi
hehehe… ill try to wear a black dress and cover my eyes, and stand on corner of some important building in NY.. let see if any police could arrest me then -
Isana says:
This is just too much. Sure, they wear helmets, but it’s rude if they don’t wear clothes.
Well, chicks should wear three helmets… And those alpha-males, they ought to get their body hair waxed. I mean, this IS tropical island guys.
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diego
What local media? BaliPost? BaliTV?
Bali Post. Although I admit that provincialism is its major characteristic they criticized rather regularly a certain kapolda called Purwoko for being more of a showman than someone who dealt with crime efficiently. And I always read their column ‘Warung Global Interaktif’ which contains a transcript of a program on Radio Global (96.5 FM) where people can complain or vent their opinion on air, a feature many ‘developed’ democracies could be jealous of. I particularly like this program because it has allowed me a couple of times to ward off attemts at pungli by simply threatening to make it public on Radio Global.
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WNI said
When i stood in front of the counter start to order,came to the next counter 2 beautiful bule girls ,wearing very near naked bikini,the kind of their panties are only very small piece in front and string in the back,showed those side by side flesh.I’m an Indonesian countrified man,did i shocked,or get lust ? nope! just no longer had a desire to eat.
Really? So tell me why do they organize nakedbule-watching trips from Java to Bali? As part of a new dietary program?
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AnnS says:
I guess.. it all comes down to respect. Sometimes, it might look silly but I think giving away free T-shirt is a lot better than putting you in jail! Too many people think that they “own” Bali for a week or two while vacationing (as if they could.. with only few hundreds bucks!)
@Lombok surfer: Get a room!
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@Farah, I’m afraid this lady beat you to it
but maybe you could join these women
You could even stop and pray with these guys
You should be fine, I doubt these hijabi NYPD officers will bother you
Then head down to Brooklyn for Chi with this nice gentleman
I used to live in New York, It is an interesting place.
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In the last twenty five years the whole picture of life in Britain has changed. The basic cause is the inequality that exists in Britain. We have a large underclass who do not get enough money from their work to adequately support a family.
I don’t know about ‘underclass’ but I think in Britain there have always been very poor people, yet they managed to keep their families together and raise decent children.
And the major change in the last twenty five years is the media showing images of wealthy celebrities who are very spoiled and having lots of sex, and people long to be like them. These celebrities use their bodies in activities such as games, fashion and very non productive activities. Quite pathetic, and quite new.
I can go along with this but I doubt it is the major reason for the collapse, it that is what it is (Theodore Dalrymple seems to think so, I rather like him), of family structures and in young people’s behaviour. I’d be more thinking along the lines of Nanny State infantilising people.
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lomboksurfer says:
@Ann – I had a bloody room at the hotel so that was not the bleedin issue. That bloody woman was crazy in love with this beach boy god so she had to have me in my natural environment which is the ocean. Then you bloody well know how it goes when the little head starts doing all the bloody thinking and the big bloody head shuts down. The bloody water was a bit murky that day so I don’t think anyone actually saw any body parts below the neck but there were a few bloody idiot snorkeling types trying to get a bit too close but I think my bloody spear-gun scared them off! LOL!!!!!
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lomboksurfer,
You have blood all over. What happened to you?
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Mangar says:
lomboksurfer = poor man’s bogan
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@ dumadi
first picture… is it really in NY ???Second picture, its like ied fitri prayer on street.
Third.. sorry.. are they women or men? it doesnt looks like jilbab, or head cover, more to head cover that a gangster use with skull prints on it.. or the one that harley davidson riders use (head scarf?).
The last picture seemed taken NOT in NY… i see the gold color door seemed like middle east or Africa.. but not NY (can’t see what the traffic sign said (in what language?).
But anyway.. yeah sure maybe you just right.. i decide to browse and guess what find this interesting picture of cover of a mag
…just my conclusion of how wide the VARIETY of people live in NY (can’t see any one wearing indian dress…with feathers etc).
Still… i would prefer to see tourist or visitor respect indonesia culture or beliefs (instead of making fun of it).
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Wondering why the picture not there….
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I am Australian, and the ‘bogans’ at Kuta are annoying even for me to see. It’s just stupid not to be clothed while riding a motorbike… if you fall off, even in a minor accident, you don’t have any protection between your skin and the ground. Their abs won’t be so pretty when they look like they have been run through a cheese grater.
Also, back home, even near beaches, you don’t see people in shops and malls without a shirt on. It’s not allowed. Seriously, it’s not that hard to throw on a shirt or a flimsy dress over your swimwear. And coming from Australia, which bears the brunt of rays thanks to the whole in the ozone layer, they should be far more aware of sun and skin safety as well.
Comment on “Public ‘Nudity’ in Bali”.
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@ Farah – Your bloody well right there is lunacy everywhere in this bleedin world. However, in most bloody countries you don’t have to worry about some wacked out Islamic hypocrite dude (who was bloody likely getting his bloody pencil massaged by some poor peasant girl the night b4) sticking a bloody sitmar up your arse because your having a narley good time with his sister.
@Suryo Perkoso -Sorry about your girl friend mate but she just couldn’t bloody well pass up on a bleedin surf god like me could she? After all she has the rest of her bloody life to be bored to tears by dudes like yourself who’s idea of a good time is dressing your bloody woman in a gloomy dark colored burkha and parading her and the kiddies around town as you recite prayers and bloody anti-western slogans. Surf-On Dudes!!!!