March 29, 2021
Minister Luhut confirms 5-year visa for remote workers is being developed + Eid exodus banned again + Ambassadors say govt's travel corridor plan not viable anytime soon + more!
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Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook
Weather forecast from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Surf outlook via Windy.com.
Local Covid Numbers
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers, which includes a look back at last week’s overall totals.
The Big News
"5 Year Visa Plans, Luhut: Make it Easy for Investors to Work From Bali" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Indonesia is drafting a regulation on five-year visas for foreign nationals to increase the confidence of investors working [in regions] such as Bali. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the policy allows foreign nationals to work in Bali. The five-year visa regulation which will be outlined in the ministerial regulation is being discussed and the plan is to be implemented in the near future. "This is a detail that we have prepared and we will implement it. I think soon, I think in this next month or after next month," he said. He also added that the long-term visa will later be implemented for foreign tourists from certain countries.
"Indonesia Bans Idul Fitri Exodus" from The Jakarta Globe: The government has extended the ban on 2021 Idul Fitri [Eid] homecoming, one of the world's largest annual migrations, to Indonesia's entire population in its latest effort to suppress the Covid-19 virus transmission among its population. "In 2021, homecoming will be forbidden to the civil servant, the police and armed forces, state-owned enterprises employees, private-sector employees, entrepreneurs, and the entire population," the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said. This ban takes effect from May 6 to 17, the minister said.
"Free Covid Corridor in Bali, Here's the Response of Four Foreign Ambassadors" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): The Dutch Embassy considers that the Free Covid Corridor or FCC plan is too early for the country to do with Indonesia, including the island of Bali in the near future. "For now the situation in the Netherlands does not allow for the opening of the FCC in the near future," said Dutch Ambassador Ardi Stoios. Canadian Ambassador Cameron Mackay also explained that in his country there has not been any further discussion on this matter. Although it is possible to have an FCC, but the time is not now. Swiss Ambassador Kurt Kunz said there were already several countries in Europe that were responding to the FCC mechanism from Indonesia. It's just that his party personally has not received more explanation about the program. Meanwhile, Italian Ambassador Benedetto Latteri responded positively to the FCC plan by inviting the Indonesian government to have further discussions. "Let's discuss this again," he explained.
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Other Headlines
"Makassar Church Attack Involves Two Suicide Bombers" from The Jakarta Globe: The bombing at a catholic church in the South Sulawesi capital on Sunday morning was carried out by two suicide bombers who died instantly at the scene, a top security minister said. The attack injured at least 20 people, including churchgoers, security guards and bystanders, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said in a press conference in Jakarta. "The government has instructed the National Police and the Military to beef up security at worship places and public areas across Indonesia," Mahfud said.
Context: In Bali, police have tightened security and increased inspections of people and vehicles at Gilimanuk in response to the attack. Military patrols have also been increased in strategic places and churches throughout Bali.
Vaccination Update
"Covid-19 Vaccine Stock in Bali Is Running Out, Kadiskes [Says] It Does Not Affect Vaccination Target" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Currently, the stock or availability of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine in Bali Province is running low. This was admitted by the Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya. Today I see that all over Bali there are still 95,00 vaccines. They are spread all over Bali," he said. And according to him, this condition does not interfere with the achievement of the target of the first dose of vaccination in Bali, which is scheduled to be completed in June.
More...
Nation: "Indonesia Slows Down Vaccine Rollout Amid Delayed Supplies" from The Jakarta Post (Paywall)
Island: "750 Taxi Drivers in Bali Get Drive-thru Vaccination Service" from Antara
Island: "Nearly 90% of Police in Bali Have Been Vaccinated, Next Week the Target Is 100%" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: "60% of Tourism Workers in Nusa Dua Have Been Vaccinated" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Badung: "Kakesdam Udayana: Vaccination for Covid-19, the Drive-Thru System in Bali-nusra Is Still Running" from Antara (Indonesian)
Bangli: "[Preparing for] Face-to-face School Exams, Teachers in Bangli Get Vaccinations" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Focusing on Sanur, City Government Delays Mass Vaccination of Traders" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
"Thousands of Residents in Karangasem Cannot Get Services for Violating Prokes" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): A total of 1,475 residents in Karangasem have been sanctioned with suspension of service for violating health protocols [out of a total of] 9,149 violators of the Covid-19 prokes in Karangasem. Head of Regional Law Enforcement, Satpol PP Karangasem, I Made Aditya Sugiarta, said, "Of that amount, there are penalties for us to fine money and postponement of administration services," he said.
More...
Denpasar: "Low CHSE Certificate Ownership for Tourism Actors in Denpasar" from Bali Express
Denpasar: "Inspection of Prokes in Renon Urban Village, Yustisi Team Nets 32 Prokes Violators" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "Unlicensed and Violating Prokes, Billiards Tournament Disbanded" from The Bali Post (Indonesian)
Food Security
"President Ensures No Rice Imports Until June This Year" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): "I assure you that until June 2021 no imported rice will enter our country, Indonesia. It has been almost 3 years since we have not imported rice,” said Jokowi. The President admitted that there was indeed an agreement of understanding (MoU) between the Indonesian government and Thailand and Vietnam regarding the procurement of rice. But this was done only as a precaution, given the pandemic situation which is full of uncertainty. He also asked Perum Bulog to absorb rice harvested by farmers. For this reason, the Minister of Finance as the State Treasurer must ensure that Bulog's budget to buy rice for farmers must be available. President Jokowi also asked all parties to stop the debate about rice imports.
"PUPR Department Design Master Plan for Sanur Beach Area Planning" from Bali Express (Indonesian): The Denpasar City Public Planning and Spatial Work (PUPR) Office has a master plan for the arrangement of the beach area in Sanur. "The master plan is just a design review. After the final design, it will be physically scheduled. Now it is still in process, whether there is a violation on this beach or not, it will be seen during the rearrangement. Soon we will schedule a meeting with various elements to equalize perceptions," said the Head of the Denpasar City PUPR Service, I Nyoman Ngurah Jimmy Sidharta. Regarding violations on the coast, currently his party is still collecting data on hotels that violate them. The data collection and arrangement will be focused on the coastal border so that its function can be returned to as it was before [mass development]. Because at this time, with the coastal area not yet arranged, it still looks less attractive.
"Dozens of People Reject the Construction of Medical Waste in Pengambengan Village, Jembrana" from Suara Bali (Indonesian): The protest action by residents of the plan to build a medical processing factory in Pengambengan Village, Jembrana was finally dismissed by the police because they did not comply with the Covid-19 health protocol. The refusal coincided with a groundbreaking procession at the factory site. This resident on behalf of Pemuda Pengambengan walked to the location of the planned construction of a medical waste treatment plant to ask that the construction not be carried out.
Of Interest
"Satpol PP Badung Secures Hundreds of [Beggars] During Pandemic" from Tribun Bali
"Anticipating the [Racing] Tracks, the Ubud Police Holds Vehicle Raids" from Bali Express
"Pandjaitan and Foreign Envoys Conduct Coral Reef Planting in Bali" from Antara
"It Only Lasted for a Week, the Poros Sekumpul Road Collapsed Again Under the Flood" from Radar 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.
About This Newsletter
This newsletter is a product of Migration Media, the hub for stories from and about the international migrant experience.
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