Lily Shanagher
Two Dutch men who started a run club in Bali just for foreigners have been banned from Indonesia.
The men, identified by authorities as JAS, 35, and HQV, 37, have been placed on the country’s no-entry list by immigration officials after being accused of discrimination for not allowing Indonesian nationals to enter the run club.
The men, understood to be Joost Storms and Hidde van Vliet, had set up Entourage Bali, which advertises itself as a “curated social community” that brings together “travellers, nomads and expats through well-curated experiences at Bali’s best spots”.
The club hosted group runs for foreigners who had moved to the island to become digital nomads, with a recent sunrise silent disco run attracting 150 participants.
But when Indonesians tried to sign up for the group, they said they were refused membership.
Annisa Rahmadani Maclean, an Indonesian woman, accused the club of discrimination after her husband was accepted, but her application was postponed.
“You postponed my application because I have [an] Indonesian name and number, yet you accepted my husband’s application right away because he has [a] Western name and number,” she claimed on social media.
Others have shared screenshots on social media showing they had been rejected because they were Indonesian or had a local phone number.
One anonymous user was asked whether they were Indonesian and from Bali. When they said they were, the club responded: “That explains why you are not accepted. Because it’s an automatic system and we are a platform for digital nomads.”
Hendersam Marantoko, Bali’s director general of immigration, ordered the arrest of any foreign nationals involved in the run club’s organisation.
Marantoko said: “The Bali Silent Disco running event organised by foreign nationals [is] suspected of violating regulations and being fraught with discrimination against local residents.
“I have instructed the Bali immigration team to inspect the event organiser. If any foreign nationals are involved, arrest them immediately.”
Storms and van Vliet left for Singapore last week before immigration officers could detain them.
The club has also been accused of operating without official licences for the public spaces it uses. Foreign nationals are banned under Indonesian law from managing or operating commercial events without permits.
The club apologised on its social media channels, which shared videos of large groups of tourists and expats running past temples and houses in Bali.
“Entourage was created as a community for digital nomads in Bali to help people who are new to the island connect with others and do fun activities together during their stay,” the statement read.
“Being a digital nomad is not defined by nationality. Our community includes members from many countries, including Indonesia…certain events were designed specifically for digital nomads.”
The club explained that the automated approval process for its WhatsApp group created a bias that meant Indonesian phone numbers were incorrectly rejected.
It added that Indonesians made up the largest group of participants during a recent run-club event.
Niluh Djelantik, a Bali-based Indonesian senator, said that the hospitality of residents “should never be mistaken for a license to disrespect”, adding that “utilising public spaces while rejecting local residents is unacceptable”.
Telegraph, London
Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
