Authorities on the island of Bali will issue new regulations for visitors to Hindu temples, said a Hindu leader, after insolent behavior by foreign tourists sparked anger among the faithful.
A government decision is being prepared to arrange visits to temples on the island to preserve the sanctity of sanctuaries, said I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, chairman of the Indonesian Hindu Community based in Bali.
The move follows recent reports from tourists involved in temple offensive behavior, including sitting in a holy place.
IGN Sudiana, Ketua Masyarakat Hindu Indonesia (Tribune Bali)
"We've seen cases of tourists playing the guitar, stealing artefacts and even engaging in immoral conduct at temples," Sudiana said.
"Such insolent behaviour is an insult to Hindus and must not happen again," he said.
Sudiana said a working group including representatives from the government and Hindu religious leaders had been set up to draft new rules.
In the future, tourists will only be allowed to enter the outer areas of temples, he said.
"Temples that are primarily used for worship will always be locked (when there are no prayer sessions), and those wishing to enter to pray will have to ask the guardian," he said.
Bali council member Nyoman Parta urged the government to issue the decree as soon as possible.
"This is a sensitive issue and we should avoid further uproars," he said.
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority country, but Bali is predominantly Hindu.
About six million foreign tourists visited Bali last year, an increase of 16 per cent on the previous year.
