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Meanwhile, in the World's Largest Muslim-Majority Country: Bali Braces for Proposed Alcohol Ban
Expect a huge expat migration, if this comes to pass...
Bye Bye, Bintang? Bali Braces for Proposed Indonesian Alcohol Ban
Draft legislation that was submitted to the Indonesian Parliament earlier this year, seeking to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol, may be signed into law in 2014 – stoking fear in the tourist mecca of Bali that such a law would cripple the local economy.
The Bill for a Ban on Alcoholic Drinks, put forth by the conservative Islam-based United Development Party (PPP), would be applied nationwide. Proposed penalties for those found in violation of the law are severe.
=snip=
Indonesia’s Islamists won a major Supreme Court victory over the summer, overturning a 1997 presidential decree that blocked local governments from enforcing alcohol bans in their own communities. The Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI), an ultraconservative group that forced Lady Gaga to cancel a sold-out performance in Jakarta over threats of violence, was behind the ruling.
The FPI, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has gained notoriety in Indonesia for its strict enforcement of Sharia law. They are known for raiding bars and nightclubs, as well as attacking religious minorities and members of the LGBT community.
Full article: http://thediplomat.com/asia-life/2013/10/bye-bye-bintang-bali-braces-for-proposed-indonesian-alcohol-ban/
Draft legislation that was submitted to the Indonesian Parliament earlier this year, seeking to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol, may be signed into law in 2014 – stoking fear in the tourist mecca of Bali that such a law would cripple the local economy.
The Bill for a Ban on Alcoholic Drinks, put forth by the conservative Islam-based United Development Party (PPP), would be applied nationwide. Proposed penalties for those found in violation of the law are severe.
=snip=
Indonesia’s Islamists won a major Supreme Court victory over the summer, overturning a 1997 presidential decree that blocked local governments from enforcing alcohol bans in their own communities. The Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI), an ultraconservative group that forced Lady Gaga to cancel a sold-out performance in Jakarta over threats of violence, was behind the ruling.
The FPI, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has gained notoriety in Indonesia for its strict enforcement of Sharia law. They are known for raiding bars and nightclubs, as well as attacking religious minorities and members of the LGBT community.
Full article: http://thediplomat.com/asia-life/2013/10/bye-bye-bintang-bali-braces-for-proposed-indonesian-alcohol-ban/
In Indonesia, a Push for Prohibition Strikes Fear
Tourists at Legian Beach in Bali, Indonesia. A draft bill would ban alcohol in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.
By JOE COCHRANE
LEGIAN, Indonesia — They have defaced Britney Spears posters, denounced Pamela Anderson’s charitable work and threatened Lady Gaga and Miss World beauty pageant contestants. And now, hard-line Muslims in Indonesia, in concert with Islamic-based politicians, are eyeing new targets: Johnnie Walker, an award-winning local pilsner called Bintang, even the exotic drinks with cherries and little umbrellas favored by the country’s many international visitors.
=snip=
(Conservative Muslim groups saying they would lobby hard for the legislation during an expected debate in Parliament in the coming weeks) has kept alive fears that, even in a country that has a long tradition of moderate Islam and is led by a secular government, a ban on alcohol could pass. Critics of a ban note a possible wild card: with elections scheduled for next year, legislators might be willing to back prohibition to appeal to conservative Islamic voters.
Before the 2009 election, a similar dynamic led to the passage of a controversial (and now lightly enforced) morality law that outlaws art, movies and music that “can arouse sexual desires and/or violate public moral values.” And last month, the government ordered that the finals of the Miss World pageant, which some Islamic groups denounced as immoral, be moved from the outskirts of Jakarta to predominantly Hindu Bali.
Nyoman Suwidjana, the secretary general of the Bali Tourism Board, said that criminalizing alcohol would have “a significant impact” on the economy of Bali, which is heavily dependent on the tourism industry and drew a record 2.9 million visitors in 2012.
Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/world/asia/hard-line-push-to-rid-indonesia-of-alcohol-worries-tourism-industry.html
Tourists at Legian Beach in Bali, Indonesia. A draft bill would ban alcohol in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.
By JOE COCHRANE
LEGIAN, Indonesia — They have defaced Britney Spears posters, denounced Pamela Anderson’s charitable work and threatened Lady Gaga and Miss World beauty pageant contestants. And now, hard-line Muslims in Indonesia, in concert with Islamic-based politicians, are eyeing new targets: Johnnie Walker, an award-winning local pilsner called Bintang, even the exotic drinks with cherries and little umbrellas favored by the country’s many international visitors.
=snip=
(Conservative Muslim groups saying they would lobby hard for the legislation during an expected debate in Parliament in the coming weeks) has kept alive fears that, even in a country that has a long tradition of moderate Islam and is led by a secular government, a ban on alcohol could pass. Critics of a ban note a possible wild card: with elections scheduled for next year, legislators might be willing to back prohibition to appeal to conservative Islamic voters.
Before the 2009 election, a similar dynamic led to the passage of a controversial (and now lightly enforced) morality law that outlaws art, movies and music that “can arouse sexual desires and/or violate public moral values.” And last month, the government ordered that the finals of the Miss World pageant, which some Islamic groups denounced as immoral, be moved from the outskirts of Jakarta to predominantly Hindu Bali.
Nyoman Suwidjana, the secretary general of the Bali Tourism Board, said that criminalizing alcohol would have “a significant impact” on the economy of Bali, which is heavily dependent on the tourism industry and drew a record 2.9 million visitors in 2012.
Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/world/asia/hard-line-push-to-rid-indonesia-of-alcohol-worries-tourism-industry.html
48 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
changed since 1984, I sure have no desire to go back there! 
a dictatorship 
And no-one, not even the non-Balinese have been saying they want to execute people over drinking.
Read the articles and you'll understand more.
Here's something else to help broaden knowledge on the topic (Bali is the red island)...
And, to further complicate matters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesia
The latest figures from Bali Discovery...
The Winners
Growth in foreign tourists visitors to Bali is coming primarily from the following markets:
Mainland China up 23.59% year-to-date and now the 2nd largest source of tourist visitor to Bali after Australia.
Japan up 14.19% year-to-date. The 3rd largest source of foreign visitors to Bali is staging something of a comeback, steadily regaining lost ground after five years of steadily declining arrivals.
Taiwanese arrivals are up 27.3%, dramatically regaining ground lost in 2012.
Singapore arrivals are at an all-time high, increasing 13.05% year-to-date through the end of August. Singapore is now the 7th largest source of Bali visitors.
U.S.A. arrivals have increased 10.42% during the first eight months of 2013 and are operating at record levels.
German visitors are up 17.25% year-to-date with 62,690 visitors through the end of August.
Russian visitors year-to-date have increased 10.07%.
The Dutch market has improve 10.07% year-to-date through the end of August with 44,484 visitors.
Indian visitors are a new and emerging source of visitors to Bali. Now ranked 14th among all markets, Indian visitors increased 42.85% totaling 42,616 through the end of August. Indian visitors are poised to soon outpace Dutch visitors to the Island.
The Runners Up
Australian visitors remain the top source of visitors to Bali totaling 530,861 through the end of August. But, the days of double-digit growth from the Australian market appear to be at an end with year-to-date arrives ex-Australia down 0.64%.
U.K. arrivals to Bali have also gone flat, decreasing 0.50% year-to-date through the end of August.
http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=9931
Growth in foreign tourists visitors to Bali is coming primarily from the following markets:
Mainland China up 23.59% year-to-date and now the 2nd largest source of tourist visitor to Bali after Australia.
Japan up 14.19% year-to-date. The 3rd largest source of foreign visitors to Bali is staging something of a comeback, steadily regaining lost ground after five years of steadily declining arrivals.
Taiwanese arrivals are up 27.3%, dramatically regaining ground lost in 2012.
Singapore arrivals are at an all-time high, increasing 13.05% year-to-date through the end of August. Singapore is now the 7th largest source of Bali visitors.
U.S.A. arrivals have increased 10.42% during the first eight months of 2013 and are operating at record levels.
German visitors are up 17.25% year-to-date with 62,690 visitors through the end of August.
Russian visitors year-to-date have increased 10.07%.
The Dutch market has improve 10.07% year-to-date through the end of August with 44,484 visitors.
Indian visitors are a new and emerging source of visitors to Bali. Now ranked 14th among all markets, Indian visitors increased 42.85% totaling 42,616 through the end of August. Indian visitors are poised to soon outpace Dutch visitors to the Island.
The Runners Up
Australian visitors remain the top source of visitors to Bali totaling 530,861 through the end of August. But, the days of double-digit growth from the Australian market appear to be at an end with year-to-date arrives ex-Australia down 0.64%.
U.K. arrivals to Bali have also gone flat, decreasing 0.50% year-to-date through the end of August.
http://www.balidiscovery.com/messages/message.asp?Id=9931
Looking at this graph, you can see the Chinese rise in numbers has almost mirrored the Japanese drop...
Bali's numbers are rising stratesphorically, but as it is only a small island, is it a bubble that's about to burst...?
