It has been confirmed that the new highly publicised pre-marital sex ban in Bali won’t apply to Australian tourists.
Earlier this month, Indonesia passed a law that bans anyone in the country from having pre-marital sex. The ban stipulates that sex outside of marriage will be punished with one year in prison while unmarried people living together could face six months in jail – and it’s been stated that the law applies to non-nationals, including tourists.
The new rule caused a lot of uproar and had thousands of tourists vowing to stay away from Indonesia because of the ban. However, the country has since backtracked on the law.
Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej how confirmed that tourists won’t be prosecuted if they engaged in pre-martial sex.
“I want to emphasise for foreign tourists, please come to Indonesia because you will not be charged with this article,” Mr Hiariej said.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster also said that Bali won’t make any “policy changes” in regards to the new rule.
“Bali is Bali as usual, which is comfortable and safe to be visited,” he said
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“There will be no checks on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation … nor inspections by public officials or community groups.”
While the reassurance is welcome news for tourists, the rules in relation to the new law would make it hard for a tourist to be prosecuted.
In order for a person to be found guilty, they must only be reported by a spouse, parents or their children. This means that only a tourist’s immediate family would be able to dob them into authorities. If a couple came to Bali, or other parts of Indonesia, for a short holiday, it’s unlikely that their family back home would turn them in.
Though the bill has been passed, it still needs to be approved by President Joko Widodo, and if it comes into play it will be enforced in three years from now.
For more on this topic, follow the Travel Observer.
