New Zealand National Who Protested at Gili Trawangan Prayer Hall Found to Have Overstayed Visa
Mataram (ANTARA) — A New Zealand national identified by the initials ML, who staged a protest against the loudspeaker of a prayer hall (mushala) on Gili Trawangan, North Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, has been found to have overstayed her visit visa.
"The individual has been taken to the immigration office for further examination regarding her overstayed residence permit," said the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at North Lombok Police Resort, AKP I Komang Wilandra, in a written WhatsApp message on Sunday.
Wilandra explained that this was established following an escort by police officers from the Gili Indah Sub-sector Post on Gili Trawangan together with Pemenang Sector Police, who accompanied immigration officials when they visited the location to check the foreign woman's status.
When police provided a security escort, ML initially refused to meet with the delegation, but through a careful approach she eventually agreed to meet the team on the condition that the number of people present was limited.
To immigration officials, ML admitted that her reason for protesting the activities at the prayer hall was that she felt disturbed by the loudspeaker used for tadarusan (communal Quran recitation). She considered it a disturbance to her rest at night.
Officers then provided an explanation regarding local community activities, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. Tadarusan is a routine act of worship for Muslims. Officers also urged ML to show understanding towards these activities.
ML's actions had gone viral through video footage circulated on social media. The recording showed a number of local residents attempting to calm ML, who had caused a disturbance at the prayer hall on Wednesday evening (18 February).
The microphone used by local residents for tadarusan was damaged. A resident's mobile phone that had been recording her actions was also seized by ML.
When a hamlet official visited ML to request the return of the local resident's mobile phone, ML refused and threatened the official with a machete.
It has emerged that ML was staying on Gili Trawangan at the residence of her parents, who had previously been expelled by local residents.
Following the incident, police are now providing security around the prayer hall and the villa where the foreign national resides.
"The individual has been taken to the immigration office for further examination regarding her overstayed residence permit," said the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at North Lombok Police Resort, AKP I Komang Wilandra, in a written WhatsApp message on Sunday.
Wilandra explained that this was established following an escort by police officers from the Gili Indah Sub-sector Post on Gili Trawangan together with Pemenang Sector Police, who accompanied immigration officials when they visited the location to check the foreign woman's status.
When police provided a security escort, ML initially refused to meet with the delegation, but through a careful approach she eventually agreed to meet the team on the condition that the number of people present was limited.
To immigration officials, ML admitted that her reason for protesting the activities at the prayer hall was that she felt disturbed by the loudspeaker used for tadarusan (communal Quran recitation). She considered it a disturbance to her rest at night.
Officers then provided an explanation regarding local community activities, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan. Tadarusan is a routine act of worship for Muslims. Officers also urged ML to show understanding towards these activities.
ML's actions had gone viral through video footage circulated on social media. The recording showed a number of local residents attempting to calm ML, who had caused a disturbance at the prayer hall on Wednesday evening (18 February).
The microphone used by local residents for tadarusan was damaged. A resident's mobile phone that had been recording her actions was also seized by ML.
When a hamlet official visited ML to request the return of the local resident's mobile phone, ML refused and threatened the official with a machete.
It has emerged that ML was staying on Gili Trawangan at the residence of her parents, who had previously been expelled by local residents.
Following the incident, police are now providing security around the prayer hall and the villa where the foreign national resides.