April 26, 2022
Police sweep removes 50 panhandlers from Kuta Beach + Health officials in Tabanan, Badung & Denpasar warn of rising Dengue Fever cases + Palm oil ban lowering prices, hurting farmers + more
Good morning!
Welcome to The Bali Beat for Tuesday, April 26. In today’s edition: In response to a viral video & assurances to tourists from government officials, a police sweep along Kuta Beach removed 50 panhandlers and "squatters" from the area. Following those in Badung & Denpasar, health officials in Tabanan warn of a sharp rise in the number of cases of Dengue fever this season. And after initially praising the move, a farmers union is decrying the new palm oil export ban, as prices for raw materials began to drop precipitously. 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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In observance of the Idul Fitri holiday, which runs from Friday, April 29 through Friday, May 6, we will go dark next week. We will return with new issues on Monday, May 9.
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National Figures
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The Big News
"50 Squatters on Kuta Beach Secured by Satpol PP, Make Tourists Uneasy" from iNews Bali (Indonesian): Badung Regency Satpol PP arrested 50 homeless and beggars (sprawl) on Kuta Beach, Bali . They reportedly make uneasy tourists who come. "There are 50 (sprawl) that were secured three days in a row," said Head of Badung Satpol PP I Gusti Agung Ketut Suryanegara. Suryanegara said the control would continue to be carried out in the next few days. Moreover, the Eid holiday season will soon arrive. "Those caught are then handed over to the social service," he said.
Context: As noted in yesterday’s edition, this sweep is another in a string of highly publicised actions taken by the government in recent days to displace panhandlers and illegal vendors from areas popular with tourists. And it comes just a day after a video on Instagram of an Australian tourist complaining about beggars on Kuta Beachwent viral, attracting the attention of officials at every level of government, including Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno.
"Alert, DB Cases in Tabanan Rise" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The Tabanan Health Service asked the public to be vigilant amid the emergence of dengue fever (DB) cases. In addition, the Tabanan Health Office has recorded as many as 15 new cases found in the middle of April. The finding of new cases of DB began to occur in the middle of the transition from the rainy season to the dry season. Anticipating such conditions, the Tabanan Health Office began fogging in several places where cases of DB were found. Such as in the Districts of Kediri, Tabanan, and Kerambitan.
Context: This alert in Tabanan comes after last week's warnings about rising Dengue Fever cases from health officials in both Badung and Denpasar.
"Palm oil export ban will hurt us, farmers say" from The Jakarta Post (Paywall): Indonesian farmers fear the government-imposed ban on palm oil exports will see fresh fruit bunch (TBS) prices free fall amid an expected domestic supply glut. Henry Saragih, chairman of the Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI), said some regions had seen TBS prices drop 30% to 50% since the crude palm oil (CPO) export ban was announced last Friday. He cited figures reported by palm oil farmers in Riau and North Sumatra that TBS prices in those areas had declined to between Rp 1,700 (12 US cents) and Rp 2,000 per kilogram.
Context: This statement contradicts the initial response to the export ban from the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers Union, which released a statement on Friday saying that it appreciated the government's "temporary ban," blaming palm oil companies of "forgetting their duty to fulfill domestic needs." Locally, amid continued shortages of bulk cooking oil, the Bali High Prosecutor's Office is conducting an investigation into possible criminal hoarding, smuggling or price gouging, calling dozens of people in for questioning yesterday. Meanwhile, after officials from the Karangasem Department of Cooperatives, MSMEs, Industry and Trade distributed 5,400 kiloliters of cooking oil to several markets in Karangasem over the weekend, the head of the organization, I Gede Loka Santika, admitted that supplies were still scarce and that some markets still did not have it in stock.
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Other Headlines
"Tanjung Benoa relies on 7 hotels to evacuate residents in the event of a tsunami" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Tanjung Benoa Village together with 7 hotels with three floors or more have signed a cooperation agreement to commit to making the hotel a TES to the people of Tanjung Benoa while the tsunami is still ongoing. The seven hotels that became the mainstay for the evacuation of residents when there was a tsunami were the Sakala Hotel, Grand Mirage, ION, Peninsula Bay Resort, Rasa Sayang Inn, Novotel and Benoa Sea Suites. The Tanjung Benoa Village tsunami evacuation plan is a guideline for preparing evacuation plans for smaller community groups, including schools.
Tourism Update
"Most Tourists to Bali Since Flights Opened From Australia" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Foreign tourists have been coming to Bali since international flights opened. For the month of April alone, data from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport for international arrivals, the latest number is April 22, 46,176 people. According to the Head of the Bali Tourism Office, Tjok Bagus Pemayun, the most Australian tourists visit Bali. However, hotel occupancy in Bali is still relatively low because overall it is only around 30%. Only the Nusa Dua area reached 60%. The favorite places visited by foreign tourists are Kuta, Penglipuran, Bali, and Ubud. Unfortunately, North Bali like Lovina Beach is still quiet.
More...
Province: "Homecoming Lebaran, Ngurah Rai Airport Prepares 232 Extra Flights and 42,456 Additional Seats" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian)
Province: "Homecoming FLOW - Bali Airport Prepares Integrated Air Transport Command Post for Eid" from Antara (Indonesian)
Covid Developments
Nation: "164,023,683 people fully vaccinated against COVID-19: ministry" from Antara
Badung: "Booster vaccination when going home from Mengwi Terminal" from Antara (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Tabanan Police Prepare Vaccinations at Two Homecoming Service Posts" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Business, Economy & Infrastructure
"Pertamina Prepares Fuel Delivery on Congested Lane for Eid Al-Fitr" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): PT Pertamina Patra Niaga has prepared motorbikes to deliver fuel oil to travelers who are stuck in traffic jams or vehicles that break down during the homecoming and return of Eid 2022. "We are preparing motorbikes that deliver fuel to traffic jams or cars break down on toll roads," said Pertamina Patra Niaga President Director Alfian Nasution. This service can provide comfort for travelers by simply contacting the Pertamina 135 call center and then informing them of the location, the motorists will immediately move to supply fuel oil. Pertamina has prepared 339 motorized units spread across various routes to and from Lebaran in Indonesia.
More...
Nation: "Ministry readies single platform to integrate health applications" from Antara
NTB: "Quarter I/2022, Tax Revenue in NTB Contracted by 20.69%" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
"In 4 Months, Jembrana Rabies Cases Almost Exceeded One Year's Cases" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): During the last four months, cases of rabies bites in Jembrana have reached 61 cases, or nearly 66 cases in 2021. With the increase in cases and the red zone of rabies in Jembrana, the Department of Agriculture and Food of Jembrana is increasingly aggressively vaccinating rabies in all corners of the village. The head of the Jembrana Agriculture and Food Service, I Wayan Sutama, said that the case of rabies bites in Jembrana was still high. Even the highest in Bali compared to other districts.
Context: Health officials in Klungkung are also concerned about the rise of rabies cases there and are conducting a widespread vaccination campaign there.
"Moving to A New Location, Loka Crana Market Traders Are Given A Week" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Loka Crana Market will soon be turned into a public service mall. In connection with the plan, a number of traders in the local market began to be relocated. They were given a week to move to a new place. Head of Bangli Kidul Market Dewa Agung Gde Adi Oka said there were around 45 traders at Loka Crana Market who had to be relocated due to the arrangement project. The traders who had to move were those selling on the north side. "Because what will be demolished is in the northern part," he said.
Of Interest
"Police Intensive Raids, Narrowing Space for Thugs & Jembret Actions" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Viral Threats at Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport, Cases End in Peace" from IDN Times (Indonesian)
"Bali's Living Legend Guitarist in Action Again" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"12 drunk youths carrying machetes and arrows arrested by police in the early hours of the morning" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
"Viral, Video of Caucasians in Uluwatu Sitting Lethargic, Allegedly Hit The Sidewalk Because Someone Turns Left Turning Right" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
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How You Can Help Bali
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