REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- Bali will go offline for 24 hours during the Hindu Day of Silence (Nyepi) on Mar 17, the province's communication, information, and statistic office chief, Nyoman Sujaya, stated here on Tuesday. Internet will be turned off for a day in accordance with an agreement inked by the religious communities and the Bali Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB).
"On Monday (Mar 12), we have agreed that internet on mobile phones will be turned off. All service operators have been informed and have agreed to comply with this agreement," Sujaya noted at the Bali Legislative Council Office in Denpasar, Tuesday.
He pointed out that ahead of the Day of Silence, the Communication and Information Ministry has held a meeting with the Indonesian Hindu Religious Council (PHDI), FKUB, representatives of internet operators, as well as the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association.
"We have informed the people that the operators will turn off internet services for smartphones. However, all services for public facilities and for security, disaster mitigation, health facilities, airports, and administrations will remain online," Sujaya remarked.
The association is still reviewing whether wireless internet connections at homes and offices should be turned off during the Day of Silence, he added.
"By far, all responses (to go offline) are positive," he noted.
The PHDI had earlier expressed hope that people would respect its call to all internet providers to turn off services during the Day of Silence.
On the note, the council has urged operators to temporarily shut down the internet from Saturday (Mar 17) 6 a.m. local time to Sunday (Mar 18) 6 a.m. local time.
"This call is not legally binding, and the operators who are not turning off the internet during the Day of Silence will receive no penalty," the council noted.
However, the council called on people to stop seeking entertainment and some physical activities during the Day of Silence.
"For a day, we stop working on everything, and our mind will get clearer after the Day of Silence," the group added.
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