After Australian Tourists Get Tricked, Bali Provincial Government And Police Form A Bodong Money Changer Order Team

Deputy Governor of Bali Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (Cok Ace) while chairing a cross-sector coordination meeting with tourism stakeholders, Tuesday (26/7). (PHOTO of Bali Provincial Government Public Relations).

DENPASAR - Deputy Governor of Bali Prof. Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati or Cok Ace responded to the money changer fraud case that happened to Australian tourists, in Legian, Kuta District, Badung Regency, Bali, some time ago.

According to him, the case tarnished the image of tourism on the Island of the Gods and the fraudulent actions that befell foreign tourists by unlicensed money changers are very important to be addressed. Apart from damaging the image of Bali's tourism, this kind of action could backfire for Bali, which is currently struggling to restore the tourism sector.

"All components have worked hard and worked hand in hand to rise from adversity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even now, COVID-19, in fact, has not been completely resolved, but thankfully the tourism sector is gradually recovering," said Cok Ace while chairing a cross-sector coordination meeting with stakeholders. tourism, Tuesday, July 26.

Therefore, Cok Ace does not want fraudulent actions like what happened at the money changer to be an obstacle in Bali's recovery. Through the implementation of this coordination meeting, he wanted to get input from various components to overcome this problem.

Meanwhile, the Head of Representative of Bank Indonesia (BI) Bali Province, Trisno Nugroho explained that this business activity is regulated in BI Regulation Number 18/20/PBI/2016 concerning non-bank foreign exchange business activities (KUPVA BB).

In its operations, KUPVA BB has a head office and branch offices. Referring to June 2022 data, in Bali there are 103 head offices and 388 KUPVA BB branch offices spread throughout Bali.

"The largest distribution is in Badung Regency, which is 347 branch offices," he explained.

The characteristics of licensed KUPVA BB are putting up a logo and business license certificate issued by BI. According to him, there are a number of challenges faced in controlling fake money changers. Among other things, not all foreign tourists understand that they must transact foreign exchange at a licensed KUPVA BB and many business actors do not understand the regulations in setting up a foreign exchange business.

In addition, education and socialization related to foreign exchange are still minimal and there has been no enforcement action to provide a deterrent effect for unlicensed KUPVA BB business actors. In response to this, his party proposes the involvement of the Traditional Village in controlling the unlicensed KUPVA BB by including it in the pararem or the rules of the Traditional Village.

"This can provide a deterrent effect for unlicensed KUPVA BB perpetrators operating in the Traditional Village area," he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation of the Bali Police, AKBP Suratno, emphasized that his staff fully supports efforts to restore Bali's economy, which relies on the tourism sector and that money changer fraud is not the only thing that tarnishes the image of Bali's tourism.

"There are also acts of mugging, pickpockets and the act of unscrupulous taxi drivers who raise fares for tourists," he said.

Specifically related to the money changer fraud, the police experienced problems in following up because the formal and material elements were not fulfilled. Because often tourists are only oriented to goods or their money back and do not continue the legal process as applicable in Indonesia.

"If there is an official report, we can follow up this as an act of fraud and embezzlement," he said.

Nevertheless, the police are still trying to control the existence of money changers by conducting field checks.

"Of the 155 money changers that we have checked, only 10 have permits. But we do not have the authority to close them," he said.

After hearing various inputs, Deputy Governor Cok Ace concluded that the coordination meeting had agreed to form a task force team that could immediately work and go to the field to provide a deterrent effect.

"Furthermore, a team with a wider reach will be formed in charge of finding social problems that have triggered the rise of fraudulent actions under the guise of money changers in tourist attractions," he said.