Bali News

BALI is being touted as a possible anti-corruption icon by the powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) thanks to initial successes in anti-graft campaigns.

Speaking at an anti-corruption event in Denpasar last week, Dedie Rachim, the KPK’s director of education and service, praised government efforts in Bali, and said that the island stood out nationwide along with the remote, restive province of Papua as a place with anti-corruption potential.

“We have high hopes for Bali and Papua to be successful in eradicating corruption,” he said, adding that he was less positive about prospects in the rest of the country.

“We’re not very optimistic about the other provinces,” he said.

Dedie said that efforts by the Denpasar Municipality and Jembrana regency to establish one-stop public service was admirable, but he urged the provincial government to follow the example. Read the rest of this entry »

Hotels and Villas in the Guise of Private Homes. Bali Villa Association Wants Villas Built as Private Residences Banned from Commercial Operations.

The Bali Villa Association (BVA) is urging Bali’s nine regencies and municipalities to urgently undertake an inventory of the private villas operating in their areas as commercial villas. The BVA’s view that there are numerous private villas operating illegally on a commercial basis prompted the call and the accompanying call for a clearly set of rules governing such activities.

Chairman of the BVA, Ismoyo S. Soemarlan, estimates there are more than 1,000 commercial villas in Bali, 25% of which do not have the required permits and licenses. Ismoyo told the press that the illegal villas were built with only private residential building permits (IMB) and not in accordance with the more rigorous requirements for buildings intended to be operated commercially. Read the rest of this entry »