May 24, 2021
Batik Air plane crashes into passenger bridge at Bali airport + 2 British foreigners who tried to skip quarantine arrested + Hundreds of Bali hotels up for sale on online marketplace + 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: Lower totals were seen across the board over the weekend; total new cases dropped to 50 on Saturday and 68 on Sunday; recoveries were at 86 on Saturday and 52 on Sunday (the lowest since November 26’s 50); while deaths dropped to 4 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. There was another foreigner death recorded on Saturday, bringing the total number of recorded deaths among foreigners to 6.
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
"Batik Air Plane Crashes into Passenger Bridge at Ngurah Rai Airport" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): When landing on Saturday morning, Batik Air plane with flight ID 6506 hit the bridge connecting the passenger waiting room with the plane. The incident did not cause any casualties. The incident occurred when the plane had stopped but suddenly moved forward. The plane was carrying 119 passengers and four crew members who were still on board. "They were still waiting for the notification to disembark. No one was injured," explained Taufan Yudhistira, Stakeholder Relations Manager of AP I Ngurah Rai Airport. The impact of the incident caused the upper left plane's engine to tear, but the jet bridge can still operate normally. A further investigation is being carried out by the Regional IV Airport Authority.
"2 British Foreigners Bound for Quarantine Who Pretended to Go to the Toilet Then Fled Arrested and Banned from Returning" from Okezone: Two foreign citizens (WNA) from England with the initials ODE (39) and MM (32) fled when they were about to undergo quarantine at the hotel. Kapolresta Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Kombes Pol Adi Ferdian Saputra said when they were on their way to the quarantine place they asked the driver to stop. When they got out of the car, they took their cameras and travel documents with them. Seeing this, they were detained by the driver who escorted them to an isolation hotel and explained that they had to undergo quarantine for 5 days. The two foreigners still insisted on running away on the grounds that they were unable to pay the hotel fees. Currently, both are under the supervision of the Soekarno Hatta Airport Police and the British Embassy. They will then be deported to their home country and prohibited from returning to Indonesia.
"Hundreds of Bali Hotels Up for Sale on Online Marketplace" from Coconuts Bali: Hundreds of hotels in Bali are going up for sale, listings on real estate marketplace Lamudi showed this week, as low hotel occupancy rate persists across the island in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A search for Bali hotels on the platform showed 631 results, with properties located in popular tourist areas across the province. The listings include hotels like Kuta Paradiso Hotel on Jl. Kartika Plaza marketed at IDR875 billion, Tijili Benoa in Nusa Dua at IDR1.8 billion, and Swiss-Belhotel Rainforest on Jl. Sunset Road at IDR250 billion. This appears to illustrate just how much the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the local economy, which is still largely dependent on its tourism industry.
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Other Headlines
"Center Will Implement 'Work From Bali,' Local Tourism Actors Demand to Be Involved" from Bali Post (Indonesian): Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB) IB. Agung Partha Adnyana, accompanied by the Chairperson of PUTRI Bali Inda Trimafo Yudha and other tourism stakeholders, assessed that they would be useless if the Work From Bali program and MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions] used business actors from outside Bali. According to Gus Agung, as he is usually called, Bali does not lack human resources and other resources to support MICE activities. He stated that Bali's Professional Conference Organizers (PCO) and Event Organizers are very ready if the central government or other institutions hold events in Bali. "Don't let the idea of Work From Bali be enjoyed by PCOs from outside. We cook, they party," he said. Chairman of the Bali MICE Forum Putu Gede Wiwin Gunawasika said that so far 95% of MICE events held in Bali use services and even resources from outside Bali. Not only EO services, even souvenirs and catering services.
Vaccination Update
"Illegal Sales of Covid-19 Vaccine Harm the Government's Vaccination Program" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Illegal sales of the Covid-19 vaccine by 2 doctors and a State Civil Servant in North Sumatra have come under fire from various parties. Chairman of the DPD RI, AA LaNyalla Mahmud Mattalitti, regretted the actions of doctors and civil servants who misused their authority for their personal gain and interests. The perpetrators are known to have used vaccine rations for prison workers and assisted residents to sell to other parties. The implementation of this illegal vaccination with a bribe of Rp.238.7 million violates the government's vaccination program. "This action destroys the flow of vaccine delivery. And the vaccine that is sold for Rp.250,000 per dose has been illegally given to 1,085 people," said LaNyalla.
More...
Nation: "14,815,666 Residents Have Received First Dose of Vaccine" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Province: "Distribution of Corona Vaccine in Bali Has Reached 2.2 Million Doses" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: "ITDC Conducts Second Vaccination for Tourism Workers in The Nusa Dua" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Buleleng Regency Government Asked for an Additional 40,650 Doses of AstraZeneca Vaccine" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Vaccination in Jembrana Targets Banjar" from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Jembrana: "Vaccines for All Prisoners in Jembrana State Prison" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Vaccination in Sidemen Subdistrict Exceeds Target, Most in Sangkan Gunung Village" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Banjar-based Vaccination in Tabanan Targets 3 Villages" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Supply of Sinovac Vaccine in Tabanan Running Out, Rations for Two Villages Postponed" from IDN Times Bali (Indonesian)
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Patrols
"Expert Analysis Ongoing of 26 Covid-19 Mutations in Indonesia: Prof" from Antara: Tjandra Yoga Aditama from University of Indonesia's Faculty of Medicine said several experts were analyzing the possible impact of 26 mutation cases in Indonesia. "Mutations and other possibilities related to COVID-19 are still likely to develop and change. Hence, we need to be aware of them and prevent them." The new mutations comprised 14 cases of mutation from the B117 [UK] variant, two cases from the B1351 [South Africa] variant, and 10 cases from the B1617 [India] variant. "If there is a new variant or mutation of COVID-19, experts will always analyze the possible impact on four aspects, which are the ability of diagnosis by PCR test, the likelihood of increased transmission, the possibility of the disease becoming more severe, and whether these mutations will impact vaccine efficacy."
More...
Nation: "Jakarta Police Find 276 Returning Eid Travelers Reactive to Covid-19" from Antara
Bangli: "Not Using Masks, 23 People Netted in Prokes Operation" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Gianyar: "180 Hotels, Restaurants, Tourist Attractions Have Received Prokes Certificates" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Avoiding Health Certificate Inspection, Two Passengers Hide in Bus Toilet" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Not Wearing Masks, a Number of Residents Are Back in the Push-up Law" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
"Contribution of Agricultural Sector to Bali's GRDP Increases This Year" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Agricultural Observer Prof. Dr. Ir. I Nyoman Suparta, said in 2021, the primary sector (agriculture)'s contribution to Bali's GRDP will reach 26.41%. While other sectors, namely the secondary sector (industry and trade) will reach 11.29%, and the tertiary sector (tourism) 62.3%. When compared to 2010, the tertiary sector is very stretched and the opposite occurs in the primary sector. It was recorded that in 2010, the contribution of the tertiary sector to the GRDP of Bali reached 64.95% and the primary sector reached 19.71%. Meanwhile, the secondary sector only contributed 15.36% to Bali's GRDP.
More...
Nation: "Indonesia's Foreign Debt Recorded at US$415.6 Billion in Q1: BI" from Antara
Nation: "Indonesia Remains Java-centric Despite Jokowi's Infrastructure Campaign" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Province: "Quarter I 2021, Credit Growth Trend Declines" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Badung: "Plastic Waste Free Movement in Kedonganan, 1 Kg of Plastic Waste Exchanged for 1 Kg of Rice" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Bangli: "Boards to Push Coffee Factory in Mengani to Re-operate" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Buleleng: "Triggering Harvest Failure, Buleleng Farmers Ask the Government to Seriously Take Care of Irrigation" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: "Percentage of Waste in Bali Has Not Been Well Managed, Suwung TPA Will Soon Be 'Overloaded'" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Ministry of Public Works and Housing Arranges Besakih Temple Area, Four-floor Parking Space" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Education
Nation: "Schools Prep for 'Back to Normal'. But Are We Ready?" from The Jakarta Post (Metered Paywall)
Nation: "Teachers Vaccinated Nationwide Are Still Low" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Karangasem: "Red and Orange Zones, Dozens of SD Delay PTM" from Bali Post (Indonesian)
Klungkung: "SMPN 1 Banjarangkan Becomes an Online System PTM Pilot School" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Tabanan: "Face-to-Face Learning for the New School Year is Still Situational" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
Papua Watch
"Troop Surge in Papua Aims to 'Wipe Out' Armed Rebels: Police Intel Chief" from Reuters: A new security crackdown on armed separatists in the central highlands of Papua will be maintained until the separatists are wiped out, the National Police’s intelligence chief has said. Some 400 extra troops have been deployed to Papua following the assassination of a senior intelligence official there and the designation of separatists as "terrorists" by the government last month. In an interview with Reuters, Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw, an indigenous Papuan and the chief of the National Police’s security intelligence unit, made the strongest remarks yet about the resolve of authorities to suppress the decades-long armed separatist rebellion in Papua. "The objective is to wipe out those behind these horrible acts of violence," he said. "This operation will go on until we get the maximum result. As long as they have not been arrested, we will do our utmost to incapacitate them and catch them."
More...
"Indonesia Said a Broken Cable Caused an Internet Blackout in Papua. Locals Aren’t Buying It" from Rest of World
"Bali Records Additional Foreign Citizen Who Died From Covid-19" from Bali Post (Indonesian): From Bali Provincial Health Office data, 4 people were reported to have died from contracting COVID-19 on Saturday. Three of them were Balinese, while 1 was a foreigner. The 3 districts that recorded additional casualties are Tabanan, Klungkung, and Bangli. The foreigner was a 54-year-old male who was admitted to Payangan Hospital, then referred to Sanglah General Hospital on May 7. The patient was confirmed to have transaminitis a week before entering Sanglah and died two weeks after being treated, on 22 May.
Context: This brings the total number of recorded Covid-19 deaths among foreigners to 6.
"Social Security Data Breach Exposes Virtually All Indonesians to Digital Fraud Risks" from The Jakarta Globe: The Communication and Information Technology Ministry said that it has suspected personal records of at least 100,000 individuals have been leaked from BPJS Kesehatan and asked the country's national insurance company to notify the individuals about the breach. The records were part of a sample database offered for free by an individual, or group of individuals, using the username Kotz, at the database sharing forum Raidforum. Since May 12, Kotz has been trying to sell for 0.15 bitcoins ($6,130) a larger set of the database they claimed to hold more than 279 million records, containing information ranging from national identity numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, and tax identification numbers, to family members, blood type, and salaries. BPJS Kesehatan reported it has 222.5 million users at the end of last year, covering about 82% of Indonesia's 270.2 million people.
Of Interest
"Blitar Earthquake Damages Hundreds of Houses in Seven Regions of East Java" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Snatching a German Man’s iPhone in Kuta, Mojokerto Man Arrested in Denpasar" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Jerinx Officially Free on June 8 With a Condition of Paying IDR 10 Million" from iNews Bali (Indonesian)
"Deck Sotto, Initiator of Kite Expo, Here's How To Get Into the World Of Kites" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Eating Processed Pork, 5 Abiansemal Residents Have Symptoms of Inflammation of the Brain" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"Beware of Counterfeit Money Circulating in Denpasar, BI Bali Called Most of it IDR 50,000 Denomination" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Residents Shocked by Appearance of Large Python Crossing Setra Badung Area" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Super Blood Moon Can be Seen From Bali and Parts of Indonesia on May 26, 2021" from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
"Expat Insider 2021 Survey: COVID-19 Impacting Expat Life" from Indonesia Expat
"Expat Insider 2021 Survey: Indonesia Ranks 31st for Living Abroad" from Indonesia Expat
"Video: Fishermen Arrive in Bali After Rescue by Australian Authorities" from ABC News
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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