‘Bali remains friendly to tourists’

A beautiful sunset: Visitors of all ages enjoying the scenery at Tanah Lot, Bali. Tourist arrivals in Indonesia are expected to increase significantly from an estimated five million this year to 7.2 million next year amid fears over the new law. — Bloomberg

THE country is actively popularising its newly approved criminal code that has been widely criticised in both national and international media for its potential to discourage tourism and investment in South-East Asia’s biggest economy.

The new penal code, which was ratified by the parliament last week, contains provisions criminalising couples who live together without being legally married and those engaged in extramarital sex with up to a year in prison. The controversial provisions had triggered anxieties, particularly among unmarried foreign couples visiting Bali, Indonesia’s resort island which was frequently visited by international tourists.