August 26, 2021
90% of Bali's Covid deaths unvaccinated + PeduliLindungi app used on all modes of transport from Saturday + Easing of Bali entry requirements has little impact on domestic tourist arrivals + more
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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.
Local Covid Numbers
*Note: Yesterday was the fifth consecutive day that case numbers were below 1,000 (746), after almost a month of cases above 1,000. With the sustained high number of daily fatalities, Bali’s fatality rate is now 4.05%, the highest since June 15’s 4.21%. There have been 1,086 deaths this month.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers.
The Big News
"Covid-19 Deaths in Bali High, Health Office: 90% Unvaccinated" from Kompas (Indonesian): Deaths of Covid-19 patients in Bali continue to increase. The head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Ketut Suarjaya, said that the high number of deaths was dominated by Covid-19 patients who had not been vaccinated. "From the data I recorded, 90% of patients who died from Covid-19 were those who had not received immunizations." Suarjaya said the high mortality rate was also due to congenital diseases suffered by Covid-19 patients. The majority of them are also self-isolating at home. "You should not be afraid to receive testing, delays in participating in testing will have a direct impact on the residents concerned, and risk being transmitted to other families or communities. This is very dangerous," he said. In addition, residents who are confirmed positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, loss of smell, and loss of taste, should immediately go to a centralized isolation area.
“Starting Saturday, PeduliLindungi App Used on All Modes of Transportation” from KataData: The Ministry of Transportation fully supports the implementation of the PeduliLindungi application in all modes of transportation as a condition of travel, whether on land, sea, air, and rail modes. The PeduliLindungi application will be used on all modes of transportation simultaneously starting Saturday, August 28, 2021. “The transportation sector is one of the important sectors to regulate mobility during the Covid-19 pandemic. Transportation modes, such as terminals, stations, ports, and airports are part of our filter to prevent the spread of Covid-19," said Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi in his official statement, Wednesday. Budi Karya has instructed the Director Generals within the Ministry of Transportation to draw up the rules, so that they can be implemented immediately by the organizers of transportation facilities and infrastructure.
Context: Many application users have complained that their vaccination certificates have not appeared in the app, despite already receiving the first or both doses. To register a complaint, here is a list of documents and information required. Download the app for iOS here and Android here.
“Easing of Bali Entry Requirements Has Little Impact on Domestic Tourists” from Kumparan: The easing of rules for entering Bali by air, with rapid antigen plus vaccine twice a week, has not yet boosted the increase in domestic tourists. I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, noted that there has been no significant increase by domestic travelers. Compared to when the mandatory PCR Swab was enforced for passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport, flights have increased by around 10-15%. "There has been a slight increase in movement. Not bad, although not too much." Taufan said the increase in passenger movement at Ngurah Rai Airport, began to be seen once rapid antigen tests were allowed for flight requirements to Java Island and vice versa, and with the decrease in the price of the PCR swab test. Arrivals are still dominated by movement from and to the island of Java, especially Jakarta and Surabaya.
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Other Headlines
“Top Indonesian Officials Let Slip in Livestream Video They've Received Booster Shot” from Coconuts Jakarta: In what is being seen as a huge oopsie moment by the Indonesian government, several high-ranked officials in Indonesia may have inadvertently let the country know they’ve had their third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as revealed in a live stream on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel. During this exchange, Samarinda Mayor Andi Harun said he was planning on trying out the controversial locally-developed Nusantara vaccine for his booster shot, while Hadi told Jokowi that he had gotten his third jab. “Oh, no wonder you look fresh. The mayor is jumping the line [to get the booster jab],” Jokowi joked with Andi. Isran, meanwhile, said that he got the mRNA vaccine from Moderna as his booster shot, followed by Prabowo then asking Jokowi: “Everyone has received their booster shots, have you received yours, Mr. President?” “I haven’t, I’m waiting for the Pfizer vaccine,” Jokowi replied.
Context: At the beginning of this month the health minister said the booster shots are only for health workers. The controversial clip has since been removed from YouTube. It has also been reported that Indonesia is to purchase 55 refrigerators to store Pfizer vaccines to create cold storage hubs in regional capitals across the archipelago.
Vaccination Update
Nation: “Indonesia to Receive Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Next Month” from Tempo
Nation: “BPOM Approves Emergency Use of Russia's Sputnik” from Tempo
Province: "6 Portraits of Vaccination at Sea, Targeting Fishermen and Boat Crews in Bali" from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
”Denpasar Forms Integrated Covid-19 Team” from Nusa Bali(Indonesian): Denpasar City Government has formed six teams to handle the Covid-19 pandemic by maximizing the existing Regional Apparatus Operations (OPD). The first team is the Covid-19 vaccination team, responsible for vaccinations in Denpasar and specifically targets the vaccination of adolescents aged 12-17 years. The second team is for centralized isolation (Isoter). The third team will monitor hospitals and BOR. The fourth is a special tracing team as the positive rate for Denpasar remains high. The fifth team will help carry out the distribution of basic necessities and food for those undergoing Isoter. The sixth team will collect data and/or digitize data.
More...
Nation: “Local Governments Urged to Provide Covid-19 Data Updates Regularly” from Antara
Province: “Bali Urges Government to Increase Central Isolation Points“ from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: “Thousands of Prokes Violators Netted in 2021” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Dozens Netted by Prokes Operation in Denpasar“ from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Gianyar: “Ubud Implements Village-based Centralized Isolation” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: “Vaccination for Pregnant Women in Karangasem Begins“ from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
"BPS Survey: Balinese People Still Face Difficulties Fulfilling Basic Needs" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Balinese people assessed that they still found it difficult to fulfill basic needs and medical equipment during emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM). This is reflected in a Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) survey that found as many as 31.2% of respondents said that meeting basic needs and medical equipment was difficult. Likewise, 24.2% said it was still difficult to access medical devices. In general, the level of difficulty in meeting needs during the PPKM period in Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan (Sarbagita) and non-Sarbagita areas was not too different. However, in terms of education, the fulfillment of basic needs, medicines, equipment, and health services is more difficult for respondents with SMA/SMK education and below. The survey results also concluded that most respondents expected basic food assistance in accordance with family needs and cash so that they did not have to travel out of the house. On average, the respondents wanted basic food and cash assistance, but those who went to school needed internet assistance, and those who did not work needed medical assistance.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia’s Economy Shows Improvement Amid Pandemic” from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Badung: “Government Budgets IDR 311 Billion for Handling Covid-19” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Former Tour Guide Moves to Selling Durian Iced Coffee” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Klungkung: ”Market Toy Sellers Earn Just Rp10,000 in a Half Day Thanks to Covid-19” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Education
Nation: “Jakarta Governor Allows Schools to Start Face-to-face Learning” from Antara
Nation: “Libraries Open Digital Access to Promote Reading” from Antara
Karangasem: “Literacy Program Abandoned Due to PPKM” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
“Indonesia is Easing Restrictions Gradually as Cases Fall” from The New York Times (Metered Paywall): In Indonesia’s most recent outbreak, cases peaked in mid-July but have since continued to fall, President Widodo said. They are now down by 78%, he said on Monday, adding that there were now more people recovering from the virus than were being diagnosed with it. But while the government’s official tally shows a drop in cases, the World Health Organization warned that the data might be inaccurate because the rate of testing had also slowed. “Urgent action is needed to address the continuing surge of cases,” the health body said in a statement released last week, noting continued outbreaks in parts of the country.
Context: The WHO statement of 18 August notes: “Despite the continued implementation of PPKM, the government has lifted several movement restrictions since 26 July. Formulation of a concrete plan and urgent action are crucial to anticipate and mitigate the impact of increased mobility on transmission and health system capacity at national and subnational levels.” Movement restrictions were further eased with Monday night’s revised PPKM guidelines.
"Tourism Budget Almost Halved" from Antara: Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said the ministry's 2021 budget ceiling had been reallocated and refocused on four occasions, leaving some 58.7% of the total initial ceiling. Uno noted that the budget ceiling, which initially reached Rp4.907 trillion, was refocused to become Rp2.880 trillion. "The programs that have been restricted were offline meetings outside the office, domestic and abroad offline roadshows, home and abroad official trips, as well as the termination of honorarium for 20 Indonesian tourism marketing representatives in 14 countries." However, Uno noted that several of the ministry’s strategic activities will still be conducted by each working unit. The activities comprise training and mentoring of human resources for leading creative economy actors; the Indonesian Tourism Village Award; sustainable tourism village certification, Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability certification for tourism players; preparation of government assistance for tourism businesses; tourism village marketing; reactivation of the tourism industry by tourism stimulus provision for vaccine recipient tourism actors; as well as raising awareness of the application of health protocols in the national media.
"Indonesian Forum for the Environment Protests Bali's Mangrove Forest Reduction" from Detik (Indonesian): The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Bali found that the mangrove forest in the Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park (Tahura) has decreased by 62 hectares. Walhi Bali questioned the cause of the shrinkage. "This condition is of course very concerning because from time to time the Tahura area continues to shrink. At the time it was established, the Tahura area was 1,203.55 hectares, now there are 1,141.41 hectares left," said Executive Director of Walhi Bali, I Made Juli Untung Pratama. The shrinkage of mangrove forests was revealed in a public consultation regarding the development of the Tahura Ngurah Rai block held by the Bali Province Forestry and Environment Service. Untung said there were findings that the protection block had been changed to a utilization block. The utilization block can be an entry point for zoning violations because PT Tirta Rahmat Bahari had applied for a tourism concession permit in the protection block in 2012.
“YouTuber Muhammad Kace Arrested in Bali in Blasphemy Case” from Antara: Bali Police arrested YouTuber Muhammad Kace on Wednesday for allegedly insulting Islam and Prophet Muhammad in videos uploaded on the streaming platform. "(He has been) apprehended," chief of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Commissioner Agus Andrianto, said. Kace was arrested on Bali and was to be taken to Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon for questioning by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department, he said. The arrest of Muhammad Kace, a former Muslim who has converted to Christianity, was carried following a police probe into complaints filed by Muslims, who accused him of having repeatedly insulted Islam and the Prophet in his videos. In some of his remarks, which have gone viral, Kace has, for instance, said Muhammad bin Abdullah (the prophet) was "surrounded by devils and liars", ANTARA noted. Prior to his arrest, the Indonesian Communication and Informatics Ministry had disclosed that the contents of Kace's videos had violated the rules of Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law.
Context: Media reports have repeatedly raised questions about the controversial UU ITE law, which critics note has been used as a tool of oppression to limit free speech.
“Ornamental Fish Exporter in Bali Charter Aircraft” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Ornamental fish exporters from Bali chartered a plane to facilitate delivery to a number of countries amid declining export volumes. Based on data from the Bali Industry and Trade Office, the export volume of live ornamental fish decreased by 11.28% to 288,545 kilograms. This decrease in volume was also followed by a decline in the value of exports by 25.68% to US$821,597. Director of PT. Dinar Darum Lestari Made Mara Adi said that aircraft rental is the choice of live ornamental fish exporters to shorten delivery times. In the midst of the pandemic, Bali did not open direct flights to foreign countries, so exporters had to be faced with the difficulty of delivering goods. Made admits that not all customers are willing to accept the charter price and this condition also affected the decline in export volume.
Of Interest
“Slovenian Tourist and Driver Saved by Fishermen” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
“Police Take Firm Action on Illegal Racing in Badung” from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
“Residents Beaten by TNI in Buleleng: I Was Beaten, Dragged and Kicked” from Kompas (Indonesian)
“Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With Bali, Yet Ignorant of Indonesia’s 17,500 Other Islands?” from South China Morning Post
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 with Bali Solidarity. 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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