May 18, 2021
Provincial government offers free PCR tests to residents with Covid-19 symptoms + Travelers now subject to random swab tests on entering Bali + Fresh transmission of UK, South African variants + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Tuesday, May 18. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning, along with every evening’s Covid-19 update. If you are already a subscriber, thank you! Please be sure to share it with others in the community by clicking the button below.
*A paid subscription is NOT required to access this content.* However, if you would like to support our news gathering efforts, please consider making a donation of US$5/month by becoming a contributing subscriber at the link above. Or if you prefer to make a one-time donation - in any amount - click here.
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: Total new cases remained steady (74) over Sunday and Monday, and fatalities remained at the lower end of the scale (4). While at the start of the month May’s total fatalities were tracking closely to February’s, which was the deadliest month so far, as of yesterday May’s total was 43 deaths below February’s.
Click here to see the national numbers infographic and a Regency-by-Regency breakdown of yesterday’s local numbers. And in case you missed it, check out Sunday’s update for a summary of last week’s overall totals, with perspective on how they stack up against previous weeks + detailed breakdowns of the virus’ spread on a Regency-by-Regency level.
The Big News
"The Bali Provincial Government Waives PCR Swab Fees for Residents with Covid-19 Symptoms" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The free PCR Swab examination program will take effect from May 2021. "Apart from those who experience symptoms, PCR swab examinations are also free for those who have had close contact with a positive COVID-19 patient," explained the Head of the Bali Provincial Health Office, Dr. Ketut Suarjaya. To get the service, Balinese people can directly visit the Regional Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) of the Bali Provincial Health Laboratory on Jalan Angsoka, Denpasar, every day from 08.00-11.00 WITA. They only need to bring their KTP or domicile certificate.
Context: Elsewhere it has been reported that those from outside Bali Province are also eligible to receive the free PCR tests. There has been no clarification so far about whether this includes foreigners.
"Travelers Now Subject to Random Swab Tests Upon Entering Bali" from Coconuts Bali: Authorities in Bali will be conducting random COVID-19 swab tests at the province’s various ports of entry starting today, as the number of incoming travelers is expected to increase following last week’s Eid holiday in Indonesia. “So we will check everyone who enters Bali, we will check their papers, their temperature, and then we will also conduct random antigen rapid [tests],” said Indra, who heads the traffic directorate at the Bali Police. The procedure will apply in Gilimanuk and Padangbai ports as well as Ngurah Rai International Airport from May 18 to 24. Should anyone test positive for the coronavirus, officers will direct them to a quarantine facility maintained by the regional government. “But we will also look at the situation on the ground, if there are still a lot of people traveling beyond those dates, then we will continue to check,” Indra said.
"Indonesia Confirms Fresh Transmission of UK, S Africa Variants" from Antara: The two mutant strains have spread through Indonesian migrant workers returning from Malaysia, a spokesperson for the ministry's COVID-19 handling program, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said. The UK variant (B117), remains the dominant strain in Britain, with more than 200,000 cases identified so far. The mutant strain has spread to more than 50 countries and appears to be mutating again, she said. The South African variant (B1351), has been detected in at least 20 other countries, including the UK. The mutant variants were detected in Indonesia after a PCR test was conducted on two migrant workers quarantined at a government facility. They are in good condition and are still under quarantine, she said. So far, 14 cases of the B117 variant and two cases of the B1351 variant have been detected in the country. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the two new cases involving the mutant variants were detected in East Java.
>> Classifieds <<
The Daily Upside is a business newsletter that covers the most important stories in business in a style that’s engaging, insightful & fun. Traditional investment news is littered with jargon & filled with fluff; The Daily Upside peels out the insights so you can stay above the fray. Try it here.
Morning Brew covers the latest business news in a fun and engaging way. Long gone are the days of dry and dense traditional business news; with Morning Brew you can stay informed and entertained, Monday-Sunday. The best part? It’s absolutely free. Sign up here.
Where is everyone? If you’re looking for people who care about Bali, you’ve found them! Every day, The Bali Beat is delivered to hundreds of people’s inboxes + hundreds more find it via organic sharing. If you’ve got a message to send to the people on and who care about Bali, they’re right here.
Other Headlines
"Active Cases Climb in 15 Indonesian Provinces" from Antara: Most of the provinces are in Sumatra, said chief of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN), Airlangga Hartarto. The provinces are Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, Bangka Belitung, Jakarta, Maluku, Banten, West Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, and Gorontalo. National active cases in mid-May, 2021 fell 48.6% compared to the peak recorded on February 5, 2021. Meanwhile, the national bed occupancy rate (BOR) is relatively low at 29%. However, several provinces have recorded a relatively high BOR, including North Sumatra at 57%, Riau (52%), Riau Islands (49%), West Sumatra (49%), South Sumatra (47%), Bangka Belitung (45%), Jambi (43%), and Lampung (38%).
Vaccination Update
Bangli: "Regent Sedana Arta Targets All Bangli Citizens Are Vaccinated Gradually" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Bangli: "Cases Are Still High, These Three Villages in Bangli are Targeted for Vaccinations" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Level 21 Mall Holds Mass Covid-19 Vaccination for Shopping Center Business Actors" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
Nation: "Government Extends Micro-level PPKM Until May 31" from Antara
Badung: "Homecoming Prohibition Ends, Passengers at Ngurah Rai Airport Are Predicted to Reach 10,000 on Tuesday" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Backflow, Gilimanuk Port Prepares Two GeNose C19 Test Chambers" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Tanah Lot Tourists Drop 40% During Prohibition of Homecoming" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Lombok: "Closure of Tourist Attractions in West Lombok Has Been Extended" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
"Dr. Fajar: Develop Medical Tourism Brokers and Brokers in Destination Countries" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): In addition to the high price constraints, it turns out that medical tourism in Indonesia is also constrained by the lack of a strong promotion sector, such as the lack of brokers for medical tourism promotion. According to the Chairperson of the Bali Regional Private Hospital Association, Dr.dr.IBG Fajar Manuaba, in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, medical tourism brokers in the three countries are very consistent. "The problem is that after Singapore, people have switched to Thailand, then the third is Malaysia. Indeed, they are very consistent for medical tourism, there are even middlemen in Indonesia to find patients. Further, prices are also cheaper. For example, the price of an IVF program is cheaper in Penang, Malaysia, which makes people more interested in medical tourism in Malaysia.
More...
Bangli: "22 Subak in Bangli Received Irrigation Repair" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Reducing Fertilizer Costs for Rice Plants, Buleleng Regency Government Introduces Eco-Farming" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Medical Waste Factory Rejected by PDIP Faction" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Education
Badung: "PTM Trial in Petang, Possible Delay From Schedule" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Five Cases in a Month, Activists Encourage the Need for Sex Education From an Early Age" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Cases of sexual violence against minors is increasingly happening in Bali. So what are the causes and solutions so that similar cases do not happen again? Even though there have been five cases of sexual violence (rape, intercourse, sexual immorality) in the past month in Bali, women's and children's rights activist Siti Sapurah said cases in Bali are like an iceberg phenomenon. "The peak is only a few can be seen or revealed. Beneath the surface, there are actually a lot. It's just that not many are reported to the police," she said. Even if they are reported, not many will be processed by the court. "Because there are many loopholes to prevent the perpetrators from being caught in the law." One of the most important things to prevent such things from happening is the role of parents, who should provide sexual education and knowledge to children from an early age.
"Police Arrest Civil Servant in Bali for Alleged Rape of 10-year-old Girl" from Coconuts Bali: A 59-year-old civil servant from Bali’s Klungkung regency was arrested, as police continue their investigation into the case. Klungkung Police Chief Bima Aria Viyasa said the suspect was in a relationship with the victim’s mother, and that he raped the girl twice since last year. “The victim finally opened up about the assault because she was traumatized every time the suspect visited their house,” Bima said. According to reports, the suspect works for the regional government in Klungkung, under the regency’s Community and Village Empowerment, Population Control, and Family Planning agency. The suspect has been charged with violation of articles under Indonesia’s child protection law, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
"Gojek and Tokopedia’s GoTo Aims to Be Indonesia’s Go-to Tech Brand Following Merger" from Coconuts Jakarta: After months of rumors, Indonesian tech startup giants Gojek and Tokopedia have finally merged to form GoTo. he combined entity, which takes the first syllables of each companies’ names, said it is combining “e-commerce, on-demand and financial services” to become the first in Southeast Asia to host the three essential services under one ecosystem. Gojek and Tokopedia continue to exist as stand-alone brands operating under the GoTo Group ecosystem. What does this all mean to the average user like us? Well, expect cheaper same-day delivery fees for Gojek drivers when buying products on Tokopedia, paying for products on Tokopedia using Gojek’s Gopay (instead of Ovo previously), and a plethora of promos and loyalty programs that encompass the two apps.
"Many Misunderstandings in the Community, Provincial Government Holds Socialization Workshops on Bali Arak Management Governor Regulation" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Many Balinese people who do not understand the management of fermented drinks or make illegal arak still roam in the field. Regarding this phenomenon, the Bali DPRD held a working meeting with the Bali Cooperatives and UMKM Office. In the meeting, Kadiskop UMKM Bali, Wayan Mardiana said that his party would collaborate with village heads throughout Bali to participate in socializing the management of Balinese arak, to create a healthy climate in the management of its production and distribution. "Many people now think that arak can be traded freely in the community. In fact, the governor's regulation itself was actually issued to regulate distribution, whereby producers of Balinese arak or alcoholic drinks must still have or join a legal entity, or have a distribution permit. However, if there are those who do not have a permit, the government must facilitate them through the relevant agencies."
"'Celepuk' Kite Festival Will be Held Again, Dozens Of MSMEs Will Be Involved" from Bali Prawara (Indonesian): On May 21, the Balinese kite festival with the theme of "Celepuk" [the local name for the Scops owl] will be held again. According to the executive committee member Kadek Suprapta Meranggi, this activity will be centered in Segara Village Beach and as many as 43 MSMEs will participate. Kadek Suprapta Meranggi, who is often called Deck Sotto, said MSMEs that have registered are those that are related to kites. Such as mutik [traditional Balinese knife] vendors, kite rope vendors, kite decoration vendors, cloth vendors and others. "This will later be packaged into the Kite MSME Expo 2021," he said.
Of Interest
"Rio Saren Parts With Convention to Forge Fresh Direction in Balinese Art" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
"'Wayang Uwuh': Using Trash to Preserve Tradition and Save the Planet" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
"Music Royalty Rule: Will It Really Benefit Creators and Artists?" from The Jakarta Post
"'Bhuta Kala Plastik Poleng' Marks the Inauguration of the Zen1 Kesiman Gallery" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
"Ramadan and Eid Al-fitr, Telkomsel Data Service Traffic Grows Nearly 50%" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
"Police Arrest Civil Servant in Bali for Alleged Rape of 10-year-old Girl" from Coconuts Bali
"Two Mysterious Men Recorded by CCTV Cameras Steal a Motorcycle on Sunset Road Kuta" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Regarding the Viral Phenomenon of the Sun Sinking in Bali, This is the Explanation of BMKG" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Ayu Maulida Fails to Crawl into Miss Universe 2020 Top 10 Despite Awesome Komodo Costume" from Coconuts Jakarta
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.
Our standards
We only include news items from established media sources.
All headlines and excerpts appear exactly as they do in the source articles.
We do not include opinion pieces, forecasts, or rumors.
We do not comment on or express opinions in the newsletter about the news items included.
All headlines marked with "Indonesian" point to articles that are published in Indonesian. We use Google Translate to convert the headline and excerpt from Indonesian to English, then correct any translation errors where the intended meaning is lost or unclear. These changes are kept to a minimum to accurately reflect the source material. To provide context for certain developing news stories, we may include a short summary in English with links to relevant articles that may also be in Indonesian.
For any questions, comments or tips, please contact us at TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.