Bali Governor Says New Indonesia Laws Pose No Risk to Tourists

Well, if you scratched Bali off your list because of its new sex laws, you may want to add it back.

Apparently, the new controversial legislation was passed last week and criminalized people for having sex and/or living together outside of marriage, but it excludes foreign visitors visiting Bali.

Initially, the law was designed against both citizens and visitors, but Bali, which is the country’s top tourist destination, will remain the same, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said, adding that tourists will not be required to show their marital status.

The “Bali bonking ban” threatens up to a year in jail for unmarried couples who have sex or six months for offenders who cohabit, the BBC reported.

It’ll be three years before the law will go into effect, but all that depends on the legal challenges it faces.

Indonesian officials say they want to uphold “Indonesian values” therefore they’ve brought on a slew of changes to its criminal code. However, citizens have many concerns over the legislation. For one, under the new laws, it’ll be considered a crime if a citizen criticizes the president or vice president.

The UN also fears it’ll impact human rights in Indonesia.