YouTubers In Bali Risk Deportation After Painting On A Fake Mask And Going Out In Public
Indonesian authorities insist that the individuals are not only violating but deliberately provoking in public, so it's only proper to sanction them more severely with deportation and not just a fine.
By Arisha Rozaidee — 30 Apr 2021, 04:59 PM
Two YouTubers in Bali now risk deportation after a video of one of their pranks went viral
According to CNN, Josh Paler Lin and Leia Se posted a video on 22 April which shows Se attempting to enter a grocery store, only to be turned away because she was not wearing a face mask.
Lin, who has 3.4 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, then paints a fake mask on Se's face and she is able to go into the shop.
The video received a tonne of backlash as Indonesia has been strictly enforcing its mask mandate.
Police are allowed to issue fines on the first offence and deport foreigners on the second offence.
Putu Surya Dharma, a spokesperson from the regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, confirmed the passport seizure with local news outlet, detikTravel.
He explained that Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers will question the foreigners. The woman has been identified as a Russian national, while the man is a Taiwanese national.
"After that, they will be examined together with Immigration to take the decision on whether or not to deport them," he said.
Meanwhile, the head of Satpol PP Bali I Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi said that the agency will issue a recommendation letter for Immigration to deport the two foreigners, saying that their actions violate propriety.
He insisted that the individuals are not only violating but deliberately provoking in public, so it's only proper to sanction them more severely with deportation and not just a fine.
The social media personalities have since issued a public apology
On 24 April, Josh Paler Lin uploaded a video on his Instagram where he, Se, and their attorney apologised for the stunt.
He said, "The intention to make this video was not at all to disrespect or invite everyone to not wear masks. I made this video to entertain people because I am a content creator and it is my job to entertain people."
"We promise not to do it again," he added.
