DENPASAR ~

Bali Police to follow up reports of alleged harassment of Nyepi done by Nando Irawansyah in Facebook.

“We have received the report. We will immediately conduct an investigation related to the case,” said Head of Public Relations Bali Police, Commissioner Pol Hery Wiyanto in Denpasar on Tuesday.

According to him, the case which was reported by a number of community organizations in Bali is a crime. In addition to the criminal law, the alleged man who is originally from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara is also charged under the Law on Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE).

“From the criminal law, a minimum punishment is under five years while under the ITE law, it could be over five years,” he said.

Meanwhile, related to the location of Nando, Hery admitted that it is unknown whether he is still in Bali or already left the island.

On Monday (23/3) a number of community organizations (ormas) in Bali reported the case to police in Denpasar.

“People who harass another religion should get a deterrent effect,” said Chairman of Mada Werdi Utama Foundation Supartha Djelantik, in Denpasar, on Monday.

Several other organizations in Denpasar also reported this case.

They came to Bali Police Office to report the case of alleged harassment of religion.

The report, they said, is expected to serve as a warning to the society to always uphold tolerance towards other people, remembering that the same case had occurred several years ago when Hindus perform Nyepi.

Previously  Nando updated his status through his Facebook account in public which is considered inappropriate in the middle of pluralism in the country. In his status, he showed his disappointment in inappropriate words because he could not watch his favorite football club as television broadcast is stopped to honor the Seclusion Day, on Saturday (21/3).