Bali is a beautiful place, with delicious food and beautiful people. Nature, landscape and beaches are magnets for tourists.
Bali is no stranger to lovebirds to celebrate their relationships, with some being formed and strengthened, and others being broken!
However, things may change soon as Indonesia’s parliament is set to pass a criminal code law that will see unmarried couples jailed if they are found to be living together!
According to this source and Indonesia’s criminal code law, 2 people who live together (unmarried men and women) is an act of offense, and if apprehended, will look at jail time of 6 months!
Premarital sex and adultery offenders, on the other hand will face jail time of one year!
The news did came as a shock to tourists, especially Australians as they are the among the regular tourists. Some tourists have made plans to cancel their plans to Bali, with others saying that they will boycott Bali and Indonesia if the law is passed.
Indonesian news reports also warn that tourism will nosedive if the law is passed and severely hurt Indonesia’s image abroad.
Netizens also took it to social media to voice their concerns about the soon-to-be law:
NOW | Sex before marriage could be banned in Bali – under proposed new laws.
Nigel Mason, from Mason Adventures in Bali says it shows the islamification of Indonesia is well underway.
— Ben Fordham Show (@SydneyLive2GB) September 20, 2019
Indonesia moves to ban all consensual sex outside of marriage, including gay sex. Plan to prohibit insults to president’s dignity & abortion outside of medical emergencies. Plus contraceptive advice to be censored & blasphemy laws expanded https://t.co/msfyVmQsXh @GeorgeMonbiot
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) September 21, 2019
BUNCH OF arseholes outraged by a sex ban in Bali but not by the systematic and systemic genocide in Papua https://t.co/mcxx2Ka3TN
— Nou Vada (@nouvada) September 21, 2019
What ???#BaliSexBan
“Unmarried couples could be jailed for having sex under new laws being considered by Indonesia’s parliament” https://t.co/ucO0DrMhUW— Barkha Trehan (@trehan_barkha) September 20, 2019
From a different perspective, non-married couples can now put your relationship into the test!
Think about this- you can’t be in a room together, let alone sleep together. Not every relationships are up for this.
Like they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. So why not try out the strength of your relationship in Bali with the soon-to-be new law? Who knows, your relationship could go stronger, or even broken. You could also realize what your partner really is. Is he/she truly committed or just there for “that”?
This soon-to-be new law surely provides a good opportunity for non-married couples who are up to test their relationships during their vacation. Let’s see whether it strengthens or finishes the bond.
However, we have to put a disclaimer here. The Criminal Code has NOT been passed. The Indonesian President has met with protester’s demand that the law is delayed and revised. However, the possibility that the law will still be passed is still there…
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments!
Header image source: Wikipedia | Jakarta Post | Hotels.com
