DENPASAR, Bali — A New Zealand citizen has been held for more than four months at Denpasar Immigration Detention Center without legal certainty as his deportation remains stalled pending police clarification, his lawyer said.

The foreign national, identified as Andrew Joseph McLean, 44, was detained by Indonesian immigration authorities in September 2025 over alleged visa violations and was initially scheduled for deportation in November.

However, the deportation process was suspended after Badung Police Criminal Investigation Unit requested a delay while conducting a preliminary inquiry into an alleged assault case involving McLean and his partner, according to official correspondence.

“Our client is not being detained by the police, but by Immigration. Yet Immigration cannot deport him due to the delay,” McLean’s legal counsel, Max Widi, said on Wednesday.

Widi said the case remains at the level of a public complaint and has not progressed into a formal criminal investigation. He added that no police report, suspect designation, or formal questioning has been conducted to date.

“After four months, there is still no legal clarity. This is still a public complaint, not a criminal case,” Widi said.

McLean was first reported to police by his partner in August 2025 under Indonesia’s assault provisions. The police subsequently issued a letter on Nov. 25 requesting immigration authorities to postpone deportation pending further inquiry.

Widi also raised concerns over McLean’s health, stating that his client has a documented history of mental illness. Medical records from RSUP Prof Dr IGNG Ngoerah, also known as Sanglah General Hospital, show McLean has been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder with psychotic features and requires ongoing treatment.

Separately, the head of the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center, Teguh Mentalyadi, confirmed that McLean’s deportation remains on hold while authorities await clarification from police.

“In principle, detention centers are temporary facilities for foreign nationals awaiting deportation. The faster the process, the better,” Teguh said on Thursday.

He added that prolonged detention also has budgetary implications for the state, particularly regarding daily operational costs.

“However, because there is a legal issue under review, we cannot proceed with deportation until we receive clear confirmation from the police,” Teguh said.

Teguh also confirmed that McLean has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is currently taking medication. “His condition can fluctuate,” he said.