Bali police targeting Australian tourists refusing to wear face masks amid COVID-19 crackdown
Bali police are warning Australians they will face fines for refusing to follow COVID safety rules after police say the expats continue to flout local measures.
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Aussies are snubbing their noses at a new Indonesian law requiring them to wear masks outdoors as part of the country’s fight against the rampant spread of COVID-19.
Bali police staged a crackdown against those ignoring emergency laws that require people to wear masks in public at all times.
During a three-day blitz police targeted hot spots popular with Aussies to pull them off the road and caution them that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
Only Russians were ahead of Australians for not wearing masks.
Australians Rob and Cate Dubois – who own a popular yoga studio in Canggu – were pulled over by police and given a warning about observing laws designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Badung civil police chief Mr I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara said the foreigners are wilful when it comes to avoiding laws that do not suit them.
“Several Australians that we pulled over in Pererenan (Canggu) had masks, but they weren’t worn. They had them on the dashboard, on the seat or only on their chin. Most of these foreigners are stubborn,” Mr Suryanegra said.
Cate Dubois does not believe that masks are effective in fighting the spread of the killer virus but will wear them when requested.
“When we were pulled over it was the only time I had seen police enforcing the new rule around Canggu,” said Ms Dubois.
The energy healer from Melbourne said that she felt most businesses in her area were complying with the new demand.
“Personally, I don’t believe that masks work, but when in Rome …” she said.
“We are in a mountain village at the moment and have been asked to wear masks. It is important to make the locals feel comfortable having us stay here so we do wear them in the village,” Ms Dubois said.
Police told News Corp that some Australians do not want to be subject to the public health laws.
“I told them that all those with activities outside the house must wear a mask. There are also those who say it’s difficult to breathe when wearing a mask. I tell them to just stay at home. Don’t go out,” Mr Suryanegra said.
While international and domestic tourism stopped abruptly in Bali in April, the island reopened for local Indonesian travel on July 31 and cases of COVID-19 have surged since.
In early September five consecutive days saw infection numbers peak to nearly 200 cases a day with more than 10 deaths daily. More than 7200 infections plague the population and Bali’s emergency COVID hospital wards are currently at 98 per cent capacity.
The island, which had previously been almost untouched by the virus, is now Indonesia’s worst affected region.
The World Health Organisation has named low cost and inaccurate rapid testing kits that domestic tourists have used to gain entry to the island as the culprit.
Last month Perth-born Architect Paul Koodravsev, 62, became the second Australian to die in Bali of coronavirus.