In an unexpected reversal within Bali’s own government, Governor I Wayan Koster has publicly disputed claims of discrimination at the Entourage Bali running event, directly contradicting the position taken by Indonesia’s Immigration Director General just days earlier, and complicating a case that had already resulted in two foreign nationals being blacklisted from the country.
Speaking at a press conference following a security meeting in Denpasar on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Koster said reports about the “Bali Silent Disco” running event had been inaccurate. “Regarding the Silent Disco event, I received a report that it turned out not to be as reported. Indonesian citizens were actually involved. So it’s not true that discrimination occurred,” Koster said.
“There’s Nothing to Worry About”
When pressed by reporters on regulations governing events organized by foreign nationals, Koster suggested a simple running event, on its own, isn’t cause for concern. “A regular run is fine. There’s nothing to worry about as long as it doesn’t cause disturbance. This was held in the morning,” he added.
A Sharp Contrast With Immigration’s Earlier Position
Koster’s remarks stand in notable tension with statements made just days earlier by Immigration Director General Hendarsam Marantoko, who condemned the event in considerably stronger terms and confirmed that immigration authorities had already blacklisted two foreign nationals connected to it.
“This running event functioned as a state within a state. The foreign nationals involved are currently outside Indonesian territory, and immigration has imposed a blacklist against them. I have instructed Bali Immigration to examine the event organizer. If any foreign nationals are found responsible, apprehend them immediately,” Hendarsam said on Friday, July 24, 2026.
Hendarsam had been explicit that foreign nationals are not permitted to organize public events in Indonesia, stating that foreigners may only participate as crew or official team members in events involving international performers or artists, a narrower category the running event clearly did not fall under.
Background on the Blacklisted Organizers
The event was organized by Entourage Bali, with two Dutch nationals identified as organizers: JAS, 35, holder of a work-based Limited Stay Permit (ITAS), and HQV, 37, holder of an investor ITAS. “Both foreign nationals are known to have left Indonesian territory on the night of Wednesday, July 23, 2026, via KLM to Singapore through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. We have now added both individuals to the blacklist,” Hendarsam said.
Ngurah Rai Immigration Office officers have since summoned the pair’s sponsor, PT SIG, for questioning regarding the two men’s activities while in Indonesia, including whether those activities aligned with the terms of their stay permits. Hendarsam noted that if the sponsor is found to have violated immigration regulations, it too will face legal consequences.
Immigration’s Broader Principle
According to Hendarsam, any activity involving foreign nationals must operate strictly within Indonesian regulations, with zero tolerance for violations of public order. Foreign nationals, he emphasized, should not be permitted to effectively create their own rules or exclusive enclaves within Indonesian jurisdiction.
“Every form of legal protection and service we provide is rooted in the principle of Immigration for the People, meaning the state’s presence through immigration functions must always guarantee justice, public order, and community comfort against any form of foreign non-compliance with the law,” he said.
Why This Contradiction Matters
For Bali’s expat community and international observers following the case, the governor’s comments introduce genuine confusion into what had appeared to be a resolved matter just days earlier. Two of Indonesia’s most senior officials on this issue, a national immigration chief and Bali’s own provincial governor, are now offering starkly different accounts of the same event: one describing systemic discrimination serious enough to warrant blacklisting and an entry ban, the other describing a routine morning run with no cause for concern.
This discrepancy raises a pointed question that remains unanswered: if Koster’s information indicating Indonesian participation is accurate, does it undermine the basis for the immigration action already taken against the two Dutch organizers? Or does Koster’s more relaxed framing reflect incomplete information, given the case’s rapid escalation through national channels before local authorities had fully investigated? Neither official has directly addressed the other’s contradicting account, leaving the case’s true resolution, discriminatory event or misunderstood running club, more uncertain than it appeared just a week ago.
What’s Next
With Bali’s Governor and Indonesia’s Immigration Director General now offering conflicting public accounts, further clarification from either office, or a joint statement reconciling the discrepancy, may be necessary before the case can be considered fully resolved. This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
