A local tourist driver in Bali, Wayan Widiasa, reported the alleged illegal actions of foreign nationals working as drivers for foreign tourists to the Bali Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD Bali), divulging that he often saw this practice at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
A local tourist driver, Wayan Widiasa, has raised concerns about the alleged illegal practice of foreign nationals working as tourist drivers in Bali. He claims that such actions have deprived local drivers of their rightful opportunities.
“Where is the Immigration [Office]? [I saw] guests picking up [fellow foreign] guests. It’s oranges eating oranges, Sir. I was shocked,” said Widiasa during the protest held by the Tourism Driver Struggle Forum (Forum Perjuangan Driver Pariwisata) on Monday, the 6th of January.
In response to the complaint, the Chairman of the Bali Provincial House of Representatives, Dewa Made Mahayadnya, directed his team to investigate the matter. Mahayadnya also instructed Commissions I and III of the Bali Provincial House of Representatives to send a team to monitor and verify the claims.
“We will go to the airport first. Commission I, III, and the faction heads will also try to [find out] if there are, indeed, [foreign] guests picking up [their fellow foreign] guests [at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport],” said Mahayadnya.
In addition to the alleged illegal practice of foreigners working as tourist drivers, the Tourism Driver Struggle Forum raised several other issues affecting local tourism and taxi drivers in Bali during their protest. The forum’s chief, I Made Darmayasa, urged the provincial government and the Bali Provincial House of Representatives to address irregularities among vendors associated with online taxi applications, alleging that many operators have violated regulations.
“And, standardisation must be done because many drivers from [outside Bali] cannot speak English, but become tourism drivers anyway,” added Darmayasa.
Darmayasa also expressed frustration over the current situation, stating, “Bali has become like sugar: full of ants. If the purpose of the [foreign tourists] is to travel, we accept them politely. However, what is happening right now? We [the local tourist drivers] are required to carry out our obligations, but our rights are being robbed, taken by capitalists with huge capital in Bali.”