April 28, 2021
Domestic tourist arrivals increased to 4,500 a day in April + Bali's economy showing positive signs + Indonesian who flew from India to Jakarta paid IDR6.5 million bribe to skip quarantine + more!
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Local Covid Numbers
*Note: New jumped again yesterday (150) after Monday's 105, bringing the 7-day average to 135. Fatalities increased too, with 10 deaths. This month's total new reported cases are fatalities are on track to be lower than last month's.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
"Domestic Tourism on the Up as Bali Reaches 4,500 Daily Visitors in April" from Coconuts Bali: Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said the daily average was between 2,000 and 2,500 visitors back in January. The number has since almost doubled. As of yesterday, Bali managed to reduce the number of its COVID-19 “red zones” from five regions on April 11 to just one, namely Badung regency. However, other cities and regencies in the province are still designated as “orange zones,” meaning they pose a medium risk of transmission. The uptrend in domestic tourism is likely to dip next month as Indonesia gears up to impose a mudik homecoming exodus ban and tighten travel restrictions for the period before and after the ban for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
"Without Tourism, Bali's Economy Can Still Move" from Bali Post (Indonesian): Bali's economy is still showing movement even though its tourism sector is currently paralyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of indicators show a positive direction, such as the circulation of money, increased visits to shopping centers, online trade, and the high interest of business people in Bali to enter online businesses, said Head of the Bali Bank Indonesia Representative Office Trisno Nugroho.
"Indonesian Traveler Paid IDR6.5 Million to Skip Quarantine After Return From India: Police" from Coconuts Jakarta: The Jakarta Metro Police has arrested a traveler and two airport officials over an alleged bribe that allowed the former to skip hotel quarantine, which is mandatory for all incoming travelers from abroad. Travel restrictions are stricter for travelers from India, however, as Indonesia seeks to prevent transmission of dangerous new mutations of the coronavirus. The traveler, an Indonesian man identified by his initials JD, flew back to Jakarta from India on Sunday, April 25, which marked the first day of the ban. Upon arrival at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, JD bribed two men, who claimed to be airport officials identified by the initials S and RW. Police say they’re investigating the possibility that S and RW may be part of an organized crime syndicate that helps returning travelers circumvent mandatory isolation for a fee.
Context: Bali’s immigration authorities have said they will firmly reject or repatriate foreign nationals from India who enter through I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.
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Other Headlines
"Alto Wants to Collaborate with BPD Bali to Work on Transactions Via Alipay and WeChat Pay" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): PT Alto Hasil Digital Indonesia (AHDI), a local switching company, hopes to partner with Bali Regional Development Bank to implement digital transactions via Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Liquid Pay on the Island of the Gods. Bank Indonesia Regulation Number 20/6/PBI/2018 concerning Electronic Money states that foreign electronic money issuers are required to cooperate with a group of Commercial Bank Business Activities (BUKU) 4 and be connected to the national payment gateway (GPN). Director of PT Alto Digital Results Indonesia (AHDI) Albertus Bambang Koes Rudiyanto hopes that, as a world tourist destination, Bali will get an exception from the regulation. This is because direct cooperation with BPD Bali will benefit the people of the Island of the Gods.
Context: Alipay and WeChat Pay have been in Indonesia since 2018, but the local switching company Alto says transactions are still low, and that considering the large volume of Chinese tourists in Bali pre-pandemic, they should be much higher. In 2019 in Bali, Chinese tourists' daily transactions via Alipay and WeChat pay amounted to IDR4.5 billion or IDR1.62 trillion for the year, while zero transactions were recorded in 2020.
Vaccination Update
Nation: "Nearly 12 Million Indonesians Vaccinated Against Covid-19" from Antara
Province: "Vaccination in Bali is Still Far from the Target" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: "Kerobokan Village Holds Phase Two Vaccination, Targeting 1,115 Public Servants" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Maximizing the Vaccination of the Elderly in Bumi Lahar, Timkes Goes to the Banjar" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "COVID-19 Vaccination in Tabanan Starts Targeting Teachers" from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
Nation: "Policy Inconsistencies Muddy ‘Mudik’ Measures" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: "‘Difficult’ to Enforce Work From Home Policy in Jakarta Despite Rise in Office Infections: Official" from Coconuts Jakarta
Karangasem: "Subject to Mask Raids, 8 Residents Were Given Push-up Sentences by the Kubu Police, Karangasem" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
Nation: "Korean Firm Planning Hydropower Plant in East Nusa Tenggara: Official" from Antara
Province: "BI: The Demand for Cash From Balinese People Has Increased by 48%" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "There are 32,000 MSMEs in Denpasar, Only 6,000 Have Received Assistance" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "Redesign of Agriculture in the Middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Province: "Pastika: Organic Farming in Bali Faces Various Challenges" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "DHLK Denpasar: Post-Kuningan Waste Reaches 497 Tons Per Day" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "Eco-friendly Wrapping Business in Bali is Increasingly Attracting the Market" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Bangli: "The Road to Pura Agung Tampurhyang is Heavily Damaged" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Failed, Buleleng River Water Purification Treatment with Eco Enzyme" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Education
Gianyar: "Gianyar Student Transportation Operating Again" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Hundreds of Schools in Karangasem Have Started Implementing PTM" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "Klungkung Regency Government Adds 16 State Kindergartens" from Bali Puspa News
"The Need for Convalescent Plasma Therapy in Bali is High" from Bali Express (Indonesian): Chairperson of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Bali Province I Gusti Bagus Alit Putra said, "We hope that the Covid-19 survivors take the initiative to donate convalescent plasma for Covid-19 patients." He also hopes that the government will support this convalescent donor activity especially in terms of supporting facilities and infrastructure. So far this therapy can only be done at Sanglah Hospital. There are already 733 survivors who have donated plasma, but this amount is still below the requirements.
Context: According to the Red Cross, the plasma in the blood of those who have recovered from Covid-19 may contain Covid-19 antibodies that can attack the virus. Known as "convalescent plasma," it is being evaluated as a possible treatment for currently ill Covid-19 patients.
"Health Ministry Studies Potential Virus Mutation From Indian Arrivals" from Antara: The Ministry's COVID-19 vaccination spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi said, "We are conducting whole genome sequencing on several Indian citizens that tested positive for COVID-19." The genome sequencing was conducted by the Health Research and Development Agency in collaboration with 17 laboratories in Indonesia. In the exodus to Indonesia involving 127 Indian citizens, 12 had tested positive for COVID-19. The spokesperson remarked that several related parties in Indonesia were preparing to prevent the entry of a new variant of COVID-19 from several countries, including the B117 virus from the UK, B1351 from South Africa, P1 from Brazil, and the double mutation variant B1617 in India believed to be more dangerous and swiftly contagious.
Of Interest
"Apologies From Foreigners in Bali After Mask Prank is Showered With Criticism" from Detik News (Indonesian)
"Ministry to Set Up Online Mechanism for Reporting Sexual Harassment" from Antara
"During the Pandemic, the Desire to Commit Suicide Increases in the Community" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Italian Tourist Beaten Until His Leg is Broken in Kuta Bali" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
"Viral Sunrise on Sanur Beach Bali Clouds Appear Like KRI Nanggala" from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
How You Can Help
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis, dozens of individuals and organizations have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to the innumerable families who have suddenly found themselves without any source of income. We've been making an effort to document and raise awareness of these efforts. We will add information on projects in this space as we are able to confirm them. If you'd like to see a list of the efforts that we've featured so far and contribute to them with either time or money, visit our complete list here. You can also see a list of projects that have registered themselves at BaliSolidarity.org. If you know of an effort and would like to have them listed, please send their information to TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.
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