Central review strips tourism chapter from Bali’s ASKP bylaw

Denpasar — Bali’s draft regulation on application-based special tourism rental transport remains in limbo after the central government struck out the entire chapter on tourism transport during a legal review, prompting drivers to again press provincial lawmakers for clarity in Denpasar on 3 August 2026, according to local media reports.

The draft bylaw on Special Tourism Rental Transport (Angkutan Sewa Khusus Pariwisata, ASKP) was approved by the Bali Regional House of Representatives (DPRD Bali) on 28 October 2025. It was designed to regulate app-based tourism transport services in Bali, building on existing national rules for special rental transport.

Provisions in the ASKP draft included requirements that tourism drivers hold a Bali identity card (KTP) and reside in the province, use vehicles with Bali “DK” registration plates, and comply with standardized tariffs and other operational conditions, according to statements by provincial officials and reporting by several Bali outlets.

Dozens of members of the Bali Tourism Driver Struggle Forum (Forum Perjuangan Driver Pariwisata Bali, FPDPB) visited the DPRD Bali building in Central Denpasar on Monday, 3 August 2026, to question why the regulation has not come into force despite being approved nearly a year earlier.

What the review changed

Ngurah Satria Wardana, head of the Legal Bureau at the Bali Provincial Secretariat, told legislators and drivers that the draft ASKP bylaw underwent facilitation — a mandatory review — by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri), based on technical input from the Ministry of Transportation (Kementerian Perhubungan).

Wardana said the final facilitation result dated 9 July 2026 removed all provisions in Chapter IV of the draft, which had specifically regulated app-based special tourism rental transport (ASKP). Local reports describe Chapter IV as the core of the tourism transport framework, meaning that after the review the text now largely reverts to general national rules on special rental transport (Angkutan Sewa Khusus, ASK).

According to Wardana, the central government argued that ASKP should not be established as a separate, new transport category and that tourism rental services should instead be accommodated within existing national provisions on special rental transport and app-based services. The ministries warned that a separate Bali-specific category could create legal uncertainty.

FPDPB representatives said they had previously been informed in Jakarta that around 95 percent of the ASKP provisions were considered ready for implementation, leading drivers to question why key articles were later removed and the regulation still lacks full approval.

Drivers seek alternatives

FPDPB members told the DPRD that they view the ASKP rules as important to protect local drivers and reduce conflicts among transport operators, especially in tourist areas. They reiterated support for measures that prioritize drivers who hold Bali KTPs and operate DK-plate vehicles, while acknowledging that any final framework must comply with national law.

FPDPB figures said they are prepared to discuss alternative mechanisms if the central government objects specifically to a strict Bali KTP requirement. One option they floated is a certification or competency system for tourism drivers that could align with national rules while still reflecting Bali’s policy goals.

Representatives urged DPRD Bali and the provincial government not to abandon the ASKP initiative and instead continue negotiations with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Home Affairs to restore a workable tourism transport chapter. Provincial lawmakers on Commission III have said they plan to formally invite both ministries to present their reasons for deleting the ASKP chapter and to hear drivers’ concerns directly.

Regulation still not in force

Despite DPRD Bali’s approval in October 2025, the ASKP regulation cannot be fully implemented without a registration number (noreg) from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and local reports indicate this has not yet been granted. As a result, Bali continues to rely on an existing governor regulation on app-based special rental transport (Pergub Bali No. 40) and on national transport rules, while the specific tourism rental framework envisioned in Chapter IV remains deleted.

Until the central government and Bali officials agree on revised provisions and issue a registered bylaw, operators and drivers cannot assume that the stricter ASKP requirements on Bali KTPs, DK plates or standardized tourism tariffs are legally enforceable as a provincial regulation.

Sources

• Bali Discovery – Central Government Rejects Bali Tourism Transport Bylaws
• Detik Bali – Pemerintah Pusat Tolak Raperda ASK Pariwisata Bali
• BaliPost – Soal Perda ASKP Bali, Biro Hukum Pemprov Sebut Ada Bab Dihapus
• Warta Bali Online – Pusat Tolak Raperda Angkutan Sewa Khusus Pariwisata, DPRD Bali Akan Perjuangkan Kembali
• Radar Bali – Kemendagri Tolak Aturan Driver Pariwisata Wajib Ber-KTP dan Tinggal di Bali