March 18, 2022
Mandalika MotoGP this weekend + Lobbying for election delay intensifies + Tourism development at Melasti Beach may include a breakwater + Weekend reads + more
Good morning!
Welcome to The Bali Beat for Friday, March 18. In today’s edition, we have the Mandalika MotoGP taking place this weekend — may the best rider win! In the capital, lobbying around moving the election date intensifies, while back in Bali, discussions around the burgeoning development at Melasti Beach include the possibility of building a breakwater. 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
The Big News
“Mandalika MotoGP This Weekend” from Republika (Indonesian): Deputy Regent of Central Lombok M Nursiah invited local residents to host the MotoGP this weekend because the event was an important record of Indonesian history. "We prove that the people of Central Lombok are a well-mannered society and ready to be a good host," Nursiah said on Thursday. "Let us keep this new historical record opener by ensuring the involvement of all of us to actively succeed the MotoGP event at Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit," Nursiah said. In the past, he said, all residents never imagined the world's biggest motorcycle race would be held in Mandalika. In the past, the event could only be watched by citizens through television broadcasts. "Never mind to imagine, it just crossed our minds never at all. For us, it is unreasonable to imagine it," Nursiah said.
Context: In other news, a property consulting group thinks the MotoGP will boost land prices around Mandalika. In order to get people to the event, Garuda and Citilink are flying a combined 236 flights to Lombok. Rain has been forecast for race day.
“Lobbying for Election Delay Intensifies” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall): Political lobbying remains underway, with elites of political parties within the ruling coalition seeking to influence other coalition members to postpone the 2024 general election. One such elite is National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, who reignited recent debate over an election delay. “We [the PKB] have not [changed our stance]. We are still waiting for leaders of political parties. If we have [any chance of meeting them] we’ll discuss [the election postponement],” Muhaimin said on Tuesday.
“Tourism Development at Melasti Beach Discussed” from Antara Bali (Indonesian): Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno met with a number of people of Ungasan Indigenous Village to discuss the development of Melasti Beach. Representatives of the Ungasan Village community revealed that the local community wants to develop the Melasti Beach area to further have added value and international standard. Currently, the local community plans to create an amphitheater based on local cultural wisdom, in addition to increasing the revenue of the development plan that is intended to maintain and preserve the customs and culture of the village. In addition, Melasti Beach destination manager also wants to expand MSME stalls so that the location is more organized and strategic and make a breakwater.
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Other Headlines
“Hopes Rising for Long-awaited Sexual Violence Bill” from Reuters: Two years ago in Indonesia, sexual harassment victim Baiq Nuril Maknun received a presidential amnesty, and she is now hoping parliament passes a new law on sexual violence, a decade after activists first proposed legislation. Nuril became a cause celebre when the Supreme Court jailed her for six months and fined her $36,000 for circulating recordings of lewd telephone calls received from her boss, a school principal. Moved by the injustice of the case, President Joko Widodo granted Nuril amnesty, gaining plaudits from women’s rights groups, though they believed the outcome would do little to tackle the increasing blight of sexual harassment in Indonesia. In January, Widodo told his government to expedite new legislation, and lawmakers resumed deliberations on a draft bill this week. They have been talking about it since 2016, with its progress stalled by several political parties, the most vocal of which had a conservative, Islamic pedigree.
Vaccination Update
“Jakarta Tight-lipped about Herd Immunity” from Tempo: Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria was tight-lipped about herd immunity albeit the city’s primary vaccination coverage has exceeded the target. Riza handed over the matter to the Health Ministry. According to him, the first-dose vaccination coverage was recorded at 123.3%, while the second dose reached 103.9%. “1,653,212 people have even received the third dose (booster),” said Riza on Wednesday. Riza, however, was reluctant to say that Jakarta has achieved herd immunity because the status is under the authority of the Health Ministry or the National COVID-19 Task Force. Responding to the transition from pandemic to endemic, Riza said the city administration will coordinate with the central government.
More...
Nation: “Ministry Asks Nurses to Help Cover Remaining Vaccination Recipients” from Antara
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Deltacron Not a Serious Threat Says IDI” from Antara: Head of the COVID-19 Task Force for the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Zubairi Djoerban said on Thursday that the Delta and Omicron hybrid COVID-19 variant (Deltacron) is not a variant of concern yet. "Deltacron has spread to many people, however, the number is quite low. It has not become a worrying situation," he stated. Deltacorn is a combination of the Delta variant, which is characterized by pain and severe symptoms, and the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious, he said. For a hybrid variant of the two, it will be very easy to penetrate a person's immune system and increase the severity of symptoms upon infection. "Fortunately, the Deltacron variant is not too deadly and does not easily spread like Omicron," Djoerban said.
Economy & Infrastructure
“Indonesia Needs IDR 3.460 Trillion to Cut Carbon Emissions Says Minister” from Antara: Indonesia will require IDR 3.460 trillion, or around IDR 266 trillion per year, in funding till 2030 to reduce carbon emissions, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said. On Thursday, she said that the energy transition issue or climate change agenda has become the highest priority for Indonesia. To demonstrate its commitment to emissions reduction, Indonesia ratified the Paris Agreement, which contains the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitment, in 2016. According to the NDC document, Indonesia is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 29% through its own efforts and 41% with the help of international support by 2030. However, fiscal policies can only cover 34% of the total IDR 3.460 trillion funding requirement, Indrawati said. To reduce carbon emissions in the forestry sector, Indonesia will need US$6.5 billion, while in the energy sector, it will require US$250 billion, she explained.
Context: In related news, Minister Luhut said “Many developed countries think developing countries do not care. Well I say, we do care for the next generation of Indonesians.” Minister Luhut has also threatened to pull out of the agreement over palm oil.
More...
Nation: “Government to Ensure Availability of Cheap Cooking Oil” from Antara
Nation: “Ministry to Scrap Restrictions on Pension Cash-outs” from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: “ESDM Ministry Converts 100 Motorbikes Into Electric Bikes” from Antara
Nation: “BI Keeps Benchmark Interest Rate at 3.5%” from Antara
Nation: “EU Hikes Tariffs on India, Indonesia Stainless Steel Imports” from Reuters
Nation: “Indonesia Can Raise Fuel Subsidies Without Widening Deficit Says Finance Ministry” from Reuters
Province: “WALHI Bali Challenges Governor Koster On Gilimanuk-Mengwi Toll Area Data” from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
Bali Reopening
“Quarantine Removed and Visa-free Imposed, Hotel Occupancy Up 25%” from Merdeka (Indonesian): The elimination of quarantine obligations and the imposition of visa on arrival or visa-free to foreign travel actors (PPLN) have a positive impact on Bali tourism. The occupancy rate of hotels on the Island of the Gods began to increase. Deputy Chairperson of Environmental Culture and Public Relations of PHRI Bali Regional Governing Body, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya said, the existence of the two policies had a positive impact on hotel occupancy in Bali. "Related to hotel occupancy from 15% now increased to 25% even there is 30% as well," Suryawijaya said on Thursday. Suryawijaya said the number of foreign tourists continues to grow and is optimistic that tourism in Bali will soon recover. "We see the impact is very positive. So the number of foreign tourist visits, the more days continue to grow as well as planes that come. This has a very positive impact on the acceleration of Bali's tourism recovery," he said.
More...
“Some Tourists Unhappy at IDR 25,000 Nusa Penida Admission Fee” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Weekend Reads & Watches
“Bali Welcomes Back Mass Tourism to the Hippy Haven of Indonesia” from South China Morning Post
“False Passives” from Emergence Magazine
"Indonesians Are Trying to Make Crypto Halal" from Vice News: Cryptocurrency is booming in Indonesia, with millions of Indonesians looking to crypto investments as a way of making quick money after two years of pandemic-fueled economic decline. But in the world’s most populous Muslim country, religious authorities have spoken out against the risks of cryptocurrency, and declared crypto transactions against the rules of Islam. We investigate the religious dilemma at the heart of crypto’s future in Indonesia, speaking with Islamic clerics, working class Indonesians attempting to use crypto to supplement reduced incomes, and a Sharia financial planner who champions the compatibility of Old Testament religion with this latest financial technology.
Of Interest
“A Day at Nyang Nyang” from Tracks
“Balinese Woman Recalls ‘spiritual Presence’ Saving Her From Traffic Accident” from Coconuts Bali
“Vice President Impressed by The Beauty of Labuan Bajo” from Republika (Indonesian)
“Today in 1963 Bali's Mount Agung Erupted: At Least 1,900 People Killed” from Tempo (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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