Badung Public Order Agency Struggles to Identify 'Silver People' Due to Body Paint

The Badung Public Order Agency has acknowledged that efforts to address the issue of ‘silver people’ – individuals who often beg on the streets in the Kuta area and its surroundings – are facing challenges. Officers find it difficult to identify these individuals, who violate local regulations, as their entire bodies are covered in paint, making it hard to determine whether they are repeat offenders or new faces.

“We have been paying attention to this issue for some time, but they keep reappearing,” said the Head of the Badung Public Order Agency, I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara, on Sunday (17 May 2026). “Their presence seems to coincide with the response from drivers.”

The enforcement actions against these individuals, who are considered vulnerable and in need of social welfare assistance, have come under renewed scrutiny following reports of their activities causing significant disruption to road users. Residents have complained about the begging at traffic lights, arguing that it tarnishes the image of the tourism sector in Badung.

“A number of ‘silver people,’ beggars, and street musicians have been repeatedly apprehended. They have also undergone counselling and been returned to their places of origin,” Suryanegara added, referring to a report by Wayan Suantara, the Head of the Kuta Public Order Agency’s Rapid Response Unit.

Public concern peaked after a viral video circulated on social media showing a ‘silver person’ operating at the Imam Bonjol intersection. The video showed the individual tapping on car windows with a knife.

“This is different; carrying a knife, acting as if threatening and endangering road users. That is a criminal act,” Suryanegara explained.

The police have responded to this incident by quickly pursuing the individual in the vicinity of the scene. Within 24 hours, the suspected perpetrator, who was armed with a sharp weapon, was arrested by a joint team from the Public Order Agency and the Kuta Police.

“Our role is primarily focused on counselling. However, when it involves carrying a sharp weapon, it becomes a matter for the police,” he said.

The individual has now been handed over to the police for further investigation. The Public Order Agency has confirmed that the handling of this case will be shifted to criminal law due to the perpetrator’s actions constituting a real threat to public safety.