Two content creators Josh Paler Lin and Leia Se are facing deportation from Bali after making a fake mask prank video.
The passports of the two have been detained by the local government and they both are at the possibility of involuntary leaving Indonesia following the upload of the clip.
The video, which was posted on April 22, went viral.
In the video, Se tries to enter a grocery store, but she is turned away for not wearing a face mask. Lin then goes ahead to use makeup to paint a fake mask on to face. Leia Sewas able to go into the shop without the security guards noticing the fake masks.
They two go-ahead to do their shopping and interact with other customers who also fall for the prank.
“Did you notice no one’s looking at you?” Lin is heard in the clip. “Exactly, because it looks real,” Se responded.
“No one noticed! Even the security. I can’t believe this works,” Lin boasted as his girlfriend laughed.
Lin has 3.4 million subscribers on YouTube and his channel is famous for pranks.
Indonesia has been rigorously implementing its mask directives. The protocols have seen police issue fines on the first violation and deport foreigners on the second breach.
However, this was Lin’s and Se’s first known violation, the uproar surrounding the video attracted much attention that Balinese authorities detained both of their passports.
According to a police statement, Lin is allegedly a Taiwan national who resides in the United States, whereas Se is a Russian citizen.
“They will be examined together with Immigration to decide on whether or not to deport them,” I Putu Surya Dharma, a spokesman from the regional office for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Bali, told local media.
Lin later took down the video from his YouTube channel.
He uploaded a video on his Instagram on April 24, where he, Se and their attorney make an apology for the stunt while fully masked.
“The intention to make this video was not at all to disrespect or invite everyone to not wear a mask,” Lin says. “I make this video to entertain people because I am a content creator and it is my job to entertain people.” Later, he adds: “we promise not to do it again.”
By Everlyne Bosibori
Comment here