Attorney General's Office Investigates Rp671 Billion Foreign Tourist Fee in Bali
Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has begun investigating suspected irregularities in the management of Bali’s foreign tourist levy (pungutan wisatawan asing – PWA). The investigation was initiated with the submission of a letter requesting data and clarification from the Bali Provincial Government (Pemprov Bali).
The request for information was sent by the Attorney General’s Office on 9 March 2026, addressed to the Bali Provincial Civil Service Police Unit (Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja – Satpol PP), one of the agencies responsible for implementing and overseeing the foreign tourist levy policy.
In the letter, the Attorney General’s Office requested various documents and information regarding the implementation and management of the foreign tourist levy since the policy came into force. In addition to the documentary requests, several officials from the Bali Provincial Government are scheduled to provide statements at the Attorney General’s Office in Jakarta to explain the mechanisms for collecting and utilising the levy funds.
Meanwhile, I Gede Wiraguna Wiradarma, head of legal information at the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office, stated that the office had not yet received formal coordination from the Attorney General’s Office regarding the examination. “We are still coordinating further, as this falls under the authority of the Attorney General’s Office. We are simply awaiting the process,” he explained when contacted on Thursday (12 March 2026).
The foreign tourist levy in Bali began implementation on 14 February 2024 at a rate of 10 US dollars, or approximately Rp150,000 at the exchange rate at that time, per tourist. The policy is based on Law No. 15 of 2023 concerning Bali Province, which grants regional authorities the power to collect contributions from foreign tourists.
Based on data circulating in the clarification process requested by the Attorney General’s Office, receipts from the levy have reached approximately Rp671.35 billion since the policy’s implementation. However, to date, the regional government has not yet submitted a detailed and comprehensive official report on the total realisation of these receipts.
Previously, Indonesia’s Ombudsman office in Bali also raised concerns about the application of the foreign tourist levy. The Ombudsman held that the implementation mechanisms need to be strengthened, particularly regarding service standards, payment systems, and financial management transparency to prevent potential administrative impropriety.
Currently, the Attorney General’s Office’s actions remain in the initial stage of data collection and clarification to trace the management of the foreign tourist levy. The policy was originally designed as a funding source for cultural preservation, environmental protection, and strengthening tourism governance in Bali. However, with the Attorney General’s Office now involved in investigating the matter, the management of these funds has again become subject to public scrutiny.