Locals and expats in Canggu said, “Enough is enough!” in an open letter to President Jokowi and other officials. “The booming sound from open bars in both Batu Bolong and in Brawa, next to Balinese holy temples, is so loud that it makes the windows and doors vibrate till 4 am.”
In the wake of the outbreak, a group of Bali residents and expats in the Canggu region took it upon themselves to speak for the island’s populace with a petition titled “Eradicate Air Pollution in Canggu.”
They hoped to get 7500 signatures on change.org from people who agreed that sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll in Canggu caused them to suffer before and after the pandemic.
In other words, they wanted Canggu to return to its tranquil state so that they could stop worrying about the disrespect of their culture and get a good night’s rest.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the pandemic is still very much alive and well in Bali according to sources.
- 2,896 new cases and 20 new deaths in Indonesia
And in case you missed it, international tourists started canceling their trips to Bali at the beginning of January 2020. By March, when the Indonesian government declared a pandemic in the country, the island was deserted and international flights were not welcome. Bali didn’t get its first flight from outside the country until February 3, 2022.
Those that stayed on the island got a glimpse of what Bali used to be before mass tourism began in the 1960s.
The closure of local businesses resulted in the loss of jobs for many residents, but it meant empty waves for surfers in Canggu and elsewhere, quiet for digital nomads, and no traffic for those who could still afford gas.
Yes, it’s true that all good things must come to an end (not that the pandemic was good), but at least it accomplished what so many had failed to do despite their best efforts to protect Bali’s culture, environment, and spiritual tranquility: it also proved that survival is far more potent than altruism.
They wrote, “Enough is enough! We can no longer stay silent.” Their goal? To roll back 62 years of development before Bali is wiped off the face of the Earth.
Can this make-believe come true? Where they can live on a deserted island with all its nice tropical amenities?
Don’t Let Your Ears Witness What Your Eyes Didn’t See.
Many locals, employees, and businesses would beg to differ, as they heavily rely on the profits from these late-night events to make ends meet.
As tourism has grown, it has spawned a complex web of interactions with other industries. It has also promoted structural change, facilitated the development of new skills, and facilitated the widespread adoption and use of information technology.
Look, it’s great that so many people finally woke up and realized that industries other than tourism are just as important to a sustainable economy, (even if it did take a global pandemic). But Bali’s economy is showing significant improvement in 2022, as many had hoped. All because of tourism.
Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal has said that the revival of the tourism industry is essential to the development of the Balinese economy.
He added, Bali was a major international tourist destination, and he urged the local government to make every effort to return it to that status.
According to Syamsurijal, Bali’s “tourism industry significantly contributes to the economy,” which promotes growth and generates revenue, particularly from beach clubs, bars, hotels, and restaurant taxes.
Tourists and business owners alike owe it to their neighbors to keep noise levels down, whether that means installing soundproof walls or double-pane windows, or even just turning down the volume.
Response from Bali Provincial Governement on “Eradicate Air Pollution in Canggu” Sept 15th
The Bali Provincial Government responded to the petition titled “Eradicate Air Pollution in Canggu.” The petition arose in response to the noise of Canggu’s entertainment venues.
Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi, the head of the Bal Province Civil Service Police Unit, stated that six points had been agreed upon. It was also made clear that Regulation No. 16/2016 is still in effect.
“Of course, we are guided by that, and the standard for decibels (the size of sound) is still 70 decibels maximum. We agreed in a meeting that if the decibel level exceeds 70, we will certainly remind you”, Dharmadi stated on September 14th.
However, before reaching an agreement, his party will speak with businesses in Canggu.
“We understand that businesses don’t always know what they’re doing, and if our field survey shows that night entertainment venues have decibel levels up to 85, we’ll work with them to make adjustments. Every decision we made today is currently being discussed with businesses, “He stated.
The six agreed-upon points are as follows:
- The sound limit for outdoor venues should remain under 70 decibels
- Music must end by 1 am
- Field supervision needs the commitment of business and the community, as well as the right tools
- Joint monitoring to remind business owners and residents not to exceed the agreed-upon limits
- Communication efforts should continue to be carried out regularly
- The rules must be enforced
“We begin with education and community outreach. Based on our agreement in this meeting. Only after that, if there are still violations, will we, of course, enforce them in a humane manner “Dharmadi stated.
P Dian started the petition titled ‘Eradicate Noise Pollution in Canggu.’ As of Tuesday, September 13 at 12.30 PM, 7,412 people had signed the petition on change.org.
The petition drew attention because it revealed the recent state of Canggu, Badung Regency, Bali. The petitioner claimed that noise from bars and clubs could be heard until 4 a.m., disturbing Canggu residents’ sleep.
Not only that, but P Dian revealed the location of bars or clubs that were built too close to sacred and sacred temples such as Pura Kahyangan in the Canggu petition.
They also complained about the behavior of foreign tourists or Caucasians who caused trouble after returning home from a party at a Canggu bar or club.
I will update this story later as it develops. Meanwhile, find out why a Russian woman became so hot for a bunyan tree here.