April 11, 2022
Widodo sets national & provincial elections on Feb. 14, 2024 + Record-breaking bust in Kerobokan nets 35 kg of meth + Booster req'd for mudik travel; vax to be available at airports + more
Good morning!
Welcome to The Bali Beat for Monday, April 11. In today’s edition, President Widodo has set the date for national & provincial elections: Feb. 14, 2024. It will be 1st-ever simultaneous vote for president & governors. A record-breaking drug bust in Kerobokan has netted 35 kg of meth; and in light of the booster requirement for all mudik travel without a PCR test, vaccines are now available at airports, including here in Bali. Scroll down for the full wrap on what has been happening in Bali and Indonesia since you last heard from us.
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Weather & Tides
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
Note: The number of daily new cases has been in the 40s for ten days now, and there have only been 2 deaths over the past seven days. For the month to date, Bali has seen only 420 new cases and 4 fatalities. This is in contrast to last moth, where through March 9 the island had already seen 1,704 cases, was averaging 175 infections per day, and had already lost 82 people to the virus.
The Big News
"President Confirms Elections to be Held February 14, 2024" from Bali Post (Indonesian): All stages of the 2024 general election and local elections have been prepared. President Joko Widodo emphasized in a limited meeting, "Preparation for the 2024 Simultaneous General Election and Regional Head Elections" on Sunday, that the simultaneous elections will be held on February 14, 2024... This, he continued, needs to be explained to the public so that there is no speculation that the government is trying to postpone the election or extend the presidency "Because it is clear that we have agreed that he General Election will be held on February 14 and the Pilkada will be held on November 27, 2024. Everything is clear," said the president.
Context: This is the first time that both national and local Regional Head elections will be held simultaneously. Furthermore, President Widodo has released a statement via his Minister of Communications that he has asked members of all political parties to stop talking about "extending the presidential term or postponing elections." His statement did not mention anything about discussions over changing the constitution in order to allow him to stand for a third term.
"No booster, no ‘mudik’" from The Jakarta Post: Holidaymakers who want a trouble-free Idul Fitri journey will need a COVID-19 booster shot. Why? Because starting from April 5, travelers who have received a third shot can skip some COVID-related protocols during their mudik (going home) trips. To avoid the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, the government has included a booster shot into its existing vaccine mandates for mudik travelers. Amid the worst surge in COVID-19 cases, travelers run the risk of encountering new infections. The new travel policy requires anyone who has received their first jab to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test no more than 3 days (72 hours) prior to departure. Those who have been fully vaccinated need to take an antigen test before traveling. Travelers can bypass testing requirements if they present proof of a booster.
Context: To make sure that people are able to travel even if they don’t meet the booster requirement, the Ministry of Transportation announced that they will provide “limited” vaccination services at transportation hubs to facilitate the homecoming exodus. Late last week the booster program was activated at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport. Boosters are available to all Indonesian citizens, those holding a KTP or Family Card or KIA, who are at least 18 years old, and who have a vaccination invitation from the PeduliLindung application.
"Record, Bali Police Secures 35 Kg of Methamphetamine from Ormas Leaders" from Bali Express (Indonesian): Disclosure of drug cases with evidence of super large amounts of crystal methamphetamine has occurred again in Bali. In fact, this time was a new record, because the methamphetamine reached 35 kilograms. The illicit goods were confiscated from four perpetrators who were detained by the Bali Police's Drug Investigation Directorate (Ditresnarkoba). The Denpasar Police had just obtained the record for the largest methamphetamine catch on the Island of the Gods, which was 18.5 kilograms on Sunday (19/2). However, this achievement was broken by the Bali Police only two months later. This indicates that Pulau Seribu Pura is a potential market for drug trafficking... the officers searched several different places suspected of being the residences of the perpetrators in the Denpasar area, as well as in the Kerobokan Kelod area, North Kuta, Badung. As a result, the police found a total of 35 kilograms of methamphetamine evidence. Not only that, there are also marijuana types weighing more than 2 kilograms, as well as hundreds of ecstasy pills and tens of grams of cocaine.
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Other Headlines
"Bali's Food Security is Worrying" from Bali Post (Indonesian): The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Udayana University, Prof. Dr. Ir. I Nyoman Gede Ustriyana, MM, said that the availability of rice in bali is already starting to be worrying. "this means that if it assumed that the availability is supply minus consumption, then the result is a minus," said Ustriyana. The reason is, in addition to land conversion, farmers' productivity is still low. If you want Bali's food security to be strong, preventing land conversion and the use of agricultural technology must be done immediately. "Technology should have started using new ones Because if you keep doing what you are doing now, your productivity will not increase. Meanwhile, the desired area is fixed but productivity must increase," he said.
"Trucks are Prohibited from Passing during the 2022 Eid Al-Fitr Homecoming, including on the Denpasar-Gilimanuk Road Section" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian): The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) issued Circular Letter (SE) Number 40 of 2022 concerning Operational Arrangements for Goods Transport during the Homecoming and Backflow Period during Lebaran Transportation in 2022. Director General of Land Transportation Budi Setiyadi said the SE was issued in order to optimize the movement of traffic flows during Eid Al-Fitr 1443 H. "This applies to the homecoming flow on April 28-1 May 2022 and the return flow on May 7-9 2022," said Budi Setiyadi as quoted by Antara, Saturday (9/4/2022).
Vaccination Update
Denpasar: "Denpasar City Government in collaboration with KAI Bali to hold mass vaccination" from Antara (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Accelerate Vaccination, Target Dense Settlements" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
NTP: "TNI-Polri Open Booster Vaccination Outlets at Traditional Markets at Night" from Republika (Indonesian)
Tourism Update
"Direct Perth to Bali flights resume, but the island is not as tourists will remember" from The Sydney Morning Herald: Indonesia Institute Inc president Ross Taylor said Australians had already begun to return to Bali in recent weeks from other Australian states, with the tourist precinct slowly coming back to life. “It’s like the Bali of old, less the intensity, so there are some shops that are still closed down and still comparatively a lot less people,” he said. “When you think in WA alone we normally have at any one time 7500 people in Bali, it’s nothing like that, but people will find that it’s held out generally pretty well."
Context: With the addition of the Perth flight, Bali is now servicing 8 international routes - Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Istanbul, and Perth - with more expected. Among those, Emirates’ Dubai-Bali route is scheduled to commence on May 1.
More..
Province: "Until the Beginning of April, Tens of Thousands of Foreign Tourists Have Used VOA Services to Bali" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Province: "During January-March 2022, Immigration Ngurah Rai Deported 11 Foreigners" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
Province: "26 June, Bali to host Indonesia International Marathon 2022" from Antara (Indonesian)
Badung: "PHRI Badung-Bali predicts hotel occupancy to be 40 percent during Eid" from Republika (Indonesian)
Badung: "Satpol PP Badung Controls Berawa Beach Arrangement - Demolition of Unauthorized Buildings Given Until May 15, 2022" from Nusa bali (Indonesian)
Badung: "Dozens of International Fights to Come, Bali Welcomes Tourists with 50% Discounts" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Nusa Penida Subdistrict Head and Officials Visit Tourist Attractions, Asking for Extortion to Stop" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
"War in Ukraine means noodle woes for Indonesia" [Audio] from The World: Indonesians have begun to notice a shortage of a popular noodle product, Indomie, made from wheat powder. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, the shortage is revealing links between Ukraine and Indonesia’s go-to snack — a link now jeopardized by the Russian invasion.
Economy & Infrastructure
"Pertamax fuel price hike due to its non-subsidy nature: Pertamina" from Antara: The Pertamax fuel (RON 92) price hike is inevitable because it is not subsidized, and the fluctuation of its prices is based on global oil prices, state-owned oil company Pertamina's official said in a statement that ANTARA received here Saturday. "Pertamina always considers residents' purchasing power, and the new Pertamax fuel price remains economically competitive compared to similar fuel type offered by other oil companies," said Deden Mochamad Idhani, manager for communication and CSR at Pertamina's commercial and trading sub-holding company Pertamina Patra Niaga's East Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Area. The decision to increase the non-subsidized fuel prices this year was made for the first after the one in 2019, he said, adding that the price adjustment was only done to the non-subsidy fuel consumed by only 17% of total number of customers.
Context: A government economist reiterated over the weekend that even with the price hike, Pertamax is still among the cheapest in the world. Pertamina officials continue to assure the public that stocks of the now-cheaper Pertalite fuel are sufficient, and that availability issues stem from logistical challenges in getting it from their distribution hubs to local gas stations. They urged people not to panic-buy. Meanwhile, the state-owned firm is still considering whether it will purchase oil supplies from Russia.
More...
Nation: "Govt faces call to tax sweet drinks in bid to curb diabetes" from The Jakarta Post
Province: "Seven Balinese Traditional Markets Will Adopt QRIS" from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian)
Province: "Ahead of Eid 2022, Bank Indonesia Representatives for Bali Province Prepares IDR 4.9 Trillion in Cash" from Tribune Bali (Indonesian)
Bangli: "In addition to arranging Japanese Pavilions and Caves, the Bangli Regency Government will build a President Tower in Penelokan" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
"Rabies Dog Bites Cases Continue to Increase, Vaccinations are intensified in the Red Zone" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Cases of dog bites positive for rabies in Jembrana continue to grow. So far, there have been 48 cases of bites in 27 villages. The Head of Keswan and Kesmavet at the Agriculture and Food Service of the Jembrana Regency Government, I Wayan Widarsa, when confirmed by this media, Friday (8/4/2022) said that with the total of 48 bite cases, Jembrana is still the area with the highest positive rabies bite cases in Bali. “Most of these cases occurred in red zone villages. The highest is in the Districts of Melaya and Mendoyo," he said. To anticipate the increasing number of dogs infected with rabies, Widiarsa said the steps taken were to continue to intensify vaccinations in the red zone villages where the bites occurred. Like in Tukadaya Village, Melaya District.
Context: Reports of dogs suspected of having rabies are increasing across the island, with fears growing of a possible outbreak. In Karangasem, samples were taken from 50 dogs to see if they had been infected.
"Indonesia is the most polluting country in Southeast Asia" from Kompas (Indonesian): Indonesia has been named the most polluting country in Southeast Asia, and occupies the 17th position in the world. The list of the most polluting countries in the world was released in the latest report titled World Air Quality from IQAir 2021. The countries included in the polluting classification in the report are the countries with the highest fine particulate or PM2.5 pollution. Fine particulate pollution, also known as PM2.5, is considered the most dangerous pollutant... Surabaya is ranked 11th as the most polluting city in Southeast Asia, followed by DKI Jakarta which is ranked 12th, then Bandung at number 13. Meanwhile, the cities of Samarinda, Kayu Agung, Banda Aceh, and Palangkaraya are included in the list of cities with the lowest air pollution in Southeast Asia.
Of Interest
"Bali's plea for Aussie tourists to return" [Video] from 9News
"Three New Provinces to be Established in Papua" from The Jakarta Globe
"Ex-Secretary of Buleleng Sueded 10 Years in Prison” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"M4.6 Tectonic Earthquake Shock Was Felt in Badung" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
"Luxury Villa with 6 Bedrooms in Denpasar Burns, Owner Overseas" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Bathing on the beach, construction workers from Jember are lost in the Lembeng beach currents" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
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How You Can Help Bali
Due to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. If you’d like to support organizations working to help those in need, you can see a list of some here.
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