The Jakarta Post, 2/19/2003 6:13:55 PM
RI legislator accuses Australia of being unfair to Bali
CANBERRA, Australia (JP): A legislator of the House commission on religion and
human resources, Irsyad Sudiro, accused the Australian government of being unfair to
Bali in their continued travel advisories against visiting the popular tourism destination.
"The security condition in Bali has improved to a higher level than before the Oct. 12
bombings, following the successful investigation by the Indonesian Police in
cooperation with its Australian counterpart," Sudiro told Antara here on Wednesday.
He said the Australian government was discriminatory in its travel ban on Bali, on the
pretext of possible terrorist attacks. "Terror can happen in, let us say, Thailand or
anywhere else. So, why should Bali be singled out?" he commented.
He urged the Indonesian government to take an official stand on the refusal of the
Australian government to soften or to revoke the travel ban.
"The Indonesian government should exert stronger political ressure on Australia, or
else the latter will not pay any heed," he observed.
Sudiro was in Canberra with Minister of Tourism and Culture I Gde Ardika for a
four-day road show to a number of Australian cities to attract tourists to Indonesia,
particularly Bali.
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