A 24-year-old British tourist has died in a hit-and-run incident in Bali after the driver of a vehicle allegedly struck him and fled the scene, claiming he believed he had only grazed the victim. The accident occurred on November 2 on the Singaraja-Kintamani highway while the tourist was riding a rented motorbike.
The driver, identified locally as 54-year-old Njoo Pin Tek, was arrested near Ulun Danu Batur Temple by Kintamani Police in coordination with the Buleleng Police Traffic Unit. According to local media, Tek told police he knew he had hit the man and saw him fall from the moped, but continued driving because he assumed the collision was minor.
AKP Bachtiar Arifin, Head of the Traffic Unit for Buleleng Police, stated that the British consulate is facilitating communication with the victim's family, who have signed a peace agreement to allow the repatriation of the body to the UK. Despite this, Tek remains in police custody and could still face criminal charges.
The incident comes amid Bali's plans to ban tourists from renting motorbikes, citing frequent violations of traffic laws. Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced that tourists would only be allowed to rent cars from travel agents, not motorbikes, following a series of incidents involving foreigners breaking traffic rules.
