Detik.com reports that the Bali Branch of the National Peoples Transportation Organization (MTI-Bali) is alarmed and advising caution in connection to plans under consideration to ban the entry of vehicles registered outside Bali (Non-DK Police Plates) during the coming Christmas and New Year Holidays (2024/2025).
The Chairman of Commission II of DPRD-Bali, Agung Bagus Pratiksa Linggih, confirmed that discussions are underway among legislators and the Interim Governor of Bali on banning vehicles from outside the province over the holidays. The bold move is being presented as necessary to stem this year the sort of horrific traffic jams Bali experienced during the 2023/2024 holiday period while at the same time seeking to support the local ground transportation providers.
A plan has been put forward by Bali’s Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD-Bali) that, if enacted, would not allow vehicles with non-Bali license plates from entering the Island over the holidays. It remains to be seen if the proposed prohibition applies to both commercial and privately owned vehicles.
Ajus Linggih added on Tuesday, 03 December 2024: “Actually, I want to defend local Bali travel operators because they are the ones who pay taxes to Bali,” said the Chairman of Commission II of the Bali DPRD, Agung Bagus Pratiksa Linggih alias Ajus Linggih, to detikBali, Tuesday (3/12/2024).
Ajus Linggih said: “I don’t want last year’s tragedy to happen again. If it happens again, Bali’s image as a holiday destination will be destroyed,” said the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) Bali Chairman.
Ajus Linggih ensured that the volume of vehicles would increase during the Christmas and New Year holidays if non-DK plate vehicles entered Bali. He requested that non-DK vehicles be prohibited from entering the Island of the Gods during Christmas and New Year.
Ajus Linggih suggested that tourists use planes when vacationing in Bali during Christmas and New Year. However, if going to Bali by land, Ajus Linggih asked tourists to use shuttle or travel services from Bali after their arrival.
Ajus Linggih also requested that all online transportation providers in Bali (ojeks) be vehicles bearing current DK plates as proof they pay road taxes to the Provincial Government of Bali.
Made Rai Tidartha, the head of MTI-Bali warns that the banning of non-DK-plated vehicles entering Bali during the year-end holidays could result in retaliatory bans in adjacent regions of Indonesia that might forbid DK-plated vehicles driven by Balinese going on spiritual tours (trita yatra) to Java and other islands.
“If the same ban is implemented (in other areas), it will also be difficult for people to travel on the tirta yatra because they have to change vehicles when entering Java or Lombok and so on,” said the Head of MTI Bali, I Made Rai Ridartha.
Not supporting the proposed temporary ban on non-DK-plated vehicles, Rai asked the Bali DPRD and Provincial Government to consider carefully minimizing traffic jams in Bali.
Rai believes that vehicles from outside that go on tours to Bali can be allowed because they will eventually return to their place of origin and will not violate the rules while visiting the Island. According to him, vehicles with non-Bali plates need to be monitored.
Rai also observed that tourism transportation companies in Bali commit violations first by renting out unregistered vehicles. This is done because of the high demand from tourists to rent vehicles.
“There is a possibility that the local ground transportation company does not have readily available vehicles. So, if there is a request, they will use other vehicles not registered with their company,” said Rai.
Such violations, said Rai, have occurred repeatedly. So, basically, the violations have been started by entrepreneurs in Bali itself.
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