Dr.Ir.AA Putu Suryawan Wiranatha, MSc
Refuse Visa Validation for Tourist

Behind the Bali Tourism Society Alliance – Aliansi Masyarakat Pariwisata Bali (AMPB) – is a figure Dr. Ir. Anak Agung Putu Suryawan Wiranatha, M.Sc. The man who was born on Denpasar, 2 March 1965 graduated from his S1 (strata 1) degree at Technology Department, Bogor Agriculture Industry – Industri Pertanian (IPB – Bogor) with index predicate Cum Laude in 1987. Then, obtaining M.Sc. degree in Environment Management at Grifith University – Australia (1994), and doctoral degree of district arrangement from University of Queensland, Australia (2001).
Along with hundreds concerning people of Bali tourism, AMPB refuses the Keppres No.18 of 2003 validation about short visit visa validation to Indonesia. “This clearly hamperes the Bali tourism recovery,” he said to Bali Travel News.
AMPB with the Bali tourism stakeholders from the entrepreneur, academic, administration agency including governmental structure, on last Friday (25/7) held a demonstration at DPRD Bali hall. They explicitly reject the application of Keppres (presidential decree) No.18, because will hamper the national tourism recovery, for Bali especially. “After the Kuta bombing, many countries stop their citizens coming to Bali. Australia, England, and America are the included countries that forbid and not recommended their people to come to Bali, but why the government swiftly revoke the free-visa regulation for short visit, which is usually executed by the tourist during the time,” said Suryawan disappoint.
As a lecturer of Udayana University (UNUD) and Secretary of Tourism and Cultural Observation Center, Suryawan feels call for to discuss about the releasing of Keppres No.18, year 2003. “For Bali, the presidential decree (Keppres) is inappropriate to apply at present,” he said while asserted, “ If the publishing reason of that presidential decree is just for security aims, isn’t it the bomb-blast is conduct by our own people?”
By than, the regulation of restricted visa (presidential decree no. 18) is only will strike down the Bali Tourism that buried instead. Suryawan feels glad, because what have been done at Bali DPRD (district legislative), gain a respond for the government that is form the Vice Governor and Vice Chief of Bali District Legislative (DPRD). “At least the government planning for that presidential decree validation on next September will cancelled,” he said again.
Vice Governor of Bali, Alit Putra is convinced that Bali is not the only one to refuse the presidential decree validation. Newly, nine provinces (Lampung, Bali, NTB and 6 provinces of Java) are also fighting the canceling of that Keppres. According to the Keppres No. 18, the free-visa of short visit only available to certain countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Philippine, Macau, Chile, Turkey, and Morocco. Whereas, the countries where many toyrists come from such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan, England, Australia, and America are not included inside within the presidential decree.
(BTN/*)