A 32-year-old Australian citizen named Julian Petroulas claims to own 1.1 hectares of land in the Canggu area, North Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali. This was revealed in a YouTube video uploaded on the 28th of June, 2024 on his channel.
In the video, Petroulas discusses his plans to develop various luxury facilities on the land, including a nightclub, gym, padel court, hotel, and even a strip club. He also mentions his intention to build an exclusive villa for 50 models.
“This is the biggest land purchase in my life – 1.1 hectares. Absolutely crazy! This is another learning experience for me. So maybe one day I can build a tower somewhere,” Petroulas said in the video.
Petroulas, who claims to have been a regular visitor to Bali since 2016, also showcases his restaurant, Penny Lane Bali, which is located in the same area. He states that the restaurant was his first successful investment and one of the reasons he continues to invest in Bali.
“There are many things I still want to do in my life, but this [restaurant] was one of the first. So I invested and looked at the results. I am very lucky because this restaurant became successful,” he said.
Petroulas also added, “Since then, I have continued to invest in various other physical businesses, such as restaurants, bars, and hotels. Every time I am in Bali, I like to come here to check on the situation.”
In addition to his remarks, one of the more controversial moments in the video was Petroulas’ admission that he was escorted by a police patrol car.
“Money buys time. Time is the only valuable thing in this world. For me, that is the meaning of money. Money means more time and freedom. We now want to see the land [my land]. We get a police escort so we can save time. Then, I can check the land,” said Petroulas.
The video has sparked controversy and raised questions about the legality of land ownership by foreign nationals in Indonesia, particularly in popular tourist areas such as Bali. As the video went viral and amassed more than 98 thousand views on YouTube, various parties and netizens began scrutinising the legal and ethical implications of Petroulas’ claims.
“Foreigner[s] can’t own any land in Indonesia. If the land certificate name is [yours], it’s gonna be [a] serious problem,” wrote one netizen on the video’s comment section.
“I think we all had a dream [of] moving to Bali, but how do you get across the land ownership bridge [safely] as a foreigner?” wrote another netizen.
Petroulas eventually faced rumours concerning his legal status. Allegations surfaced that he held only an Electronic Visa on Arrival (e-VOA), a type of visitor visa that does not permit business activities. This further fuelled speculation about the legality of his claimed land ownership, given Indonesia’s strict regulations on land ownership by foreign nationals. If it is true that he operated using only an e-VOA, Petroulas’ actions could potentially violate immigration laws.