A tailor in Badung, Bali, has publicly apologised after making racist remarks towards a customer during a dispute over an unfinished clothing alteration order.
The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, prompted mediation by local police before both parties agreed to settle the matter.
The tailor, Ni Made Tiadnyani, also known as Mrs Sintya and the owner of Sintya Tailor, came under public scrutiny after footage circulated online showing her making derogatory comments about the Javanese community while arguing with a customer.
The incident reportedly took place in early July 2026 but gained widespread attention after the video went viral in recent days.
Dispute Began Over Delayed Clothing Alterations
According to the customer’s account, she had entrusted three garments to Mrs Sintya for alterations. Both parties initially agreed that the clothes would be ready for collection on 1 July.
However, when the customer arrived on the agreed date, the alterations had not been completed. The collection date was then postponed to 2 July, but the work remained unfinished. A further extension was given until 3 July, yet the order was still incomplete.
Frustrated by the repeated delays, the customer requested a refund for the payment she had already made. The request reportedly led to an argument between the two.
During the dispute, Mrs Sintya allegedly refused to return the money and made remarks referring to the customer’s ethnicity. While seated at her sewing table, she described the customer as someone who had come to Bali to earn money and warned her not to challenge a Balinese person.
The comments, which focused on the customer’s perceived Javanese background, were recorded on video and later shared across social media platforms, sparking criticism from online users.
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Tailor Issues Public Apology, Parties Reach Settlement
Following the video’s circulation, Mrs Sintya released a public statement acknowledging her actions and apologising for the remarks.
In her clarification, she admitted that the comments were made in anger and said they were spoken spontaneously during the argument.
She also explained that the customer had arrived while she was eating and claimed tensions escalated after the customer insisted she prioritise completing the clothing order before finishing her meal.
On Sunday, 19 July, both parties attended mediation at Abiansemal Police Station, where they agreed to resolve the dispute amicably.
During the mediation, Mrs Sintya expressed remorse for her actions.
“I apologise for what happened. I’m very sorry. I didn’t realise my thoughts would be so severe,” she said, as quoted on the Instagram account of Regional Representative Council (DPD) member Arya Wedakarna.
Arya Wedakarna, who attended the mediation, also clarified that the customer was not from Java, as initially assumed during the dispute, but from Lombok.
Following the meeting, the customer, identified as Hilda, confirmed that she had accepted the apology and chosen to forgive Mrs Sintya. Hilda also apologised for the public attention generated by her social media post, stating that the matter had been resolved and both parties had agreed to move forward.
