Monday, December 14
Country's death rate soars; Bali's doubles from last month + Govt allocates 75 million vaccine doses for "non-subsidy" use + Rampant bribery at ferry ports as rapid test rules go unenforced + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Monday, December 14. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Saturday morning, along with each evening’s Covid-19 update. If you are already a subscriber, thank you! Please be sure to share it with others in the foreigner community on the island by clicking the button below.
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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
*NOTE: 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
"Indonesia Daily Covid Deaths Rising Steadily" from The Jakarta Globe: The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Indonesia has been rising steadily in the last three weeks, during which 100 or more people died of the virus every day. The previous longest run of three-digit daily deaths was 12 days. There have been 18,819 deaths since the outbreak began with 166 new deaths on Sunday. The seven-day average reaches a new high of 154, the third day in a row that weekly death toll has set a new record.
(Ed. Note: The government does not include suspected cases in its tally of coronavirus fatalities. Here in Bali, the number of deaths attributed to Covid-19 in December is 35, double the pace of November, which had seen 17 by this point. This is consistent with the more than doubling of confirmed cases this month so far vs. November’s pace. The deadliest months for the island have been October, which had 112 deaths, and September, which recorded 207 deaths and was driven by the post-holiday wave. The deadliest week, by far, happened from September 6-12 when 70 people succumbed to the virus. So far in December, there has been only a single day without a Covid-19 death confirmed - December 8 - and just two days with only a single fatality.)
"Govt Targets Supplying Non-subsidized Vaccines to 75 million People" from Antara: State Enterprises (BUMN) Minister, concurrently Chief Executive of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) Erick Thohir affirmed that the Ministry of BUMN is targeting to supply non-subsidized vaccines to 75 million people. The BUMN minister revealed that Indonesia will wait for another 1.8 million doses of the vaccine in the next stage of vaccine shipment in January 2021, and an additional 15 million of raw materials to be utilized to produce vaccines by Bio Farma, also in January 2021. Thohir projects government-assisted vaccines and non-subsidized vaccines, to be available in January 2021, adding that the Ministry of Health will be the deciding authority on the amount of each vaccine.
"Community Stories of Going to Bali without A Rapid Test Letter; Can You Bribe? Yes?" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): Since the opening of domestic tourism with the application of the new normal , the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of Bali, through the Circular (SE) of the Governor of Bali Number 305, has imposed a non-reactive rapid test requirement if it wants to enter Bali via the port route. However, over time, officers at the entrance to western Bali (Gilimanuk Port) no longer strictly asked about the rapid test series . Passengers who enter Bali are asked to pay a certain amount of money in order to pass the inspection... A source with the initials GGA revealed that when he returned to Bojonegoro, East Java, on a bus at the end of November 2020, he was not asked for a certificate. Because passengers leaving Bali are not required to show the bouquet. This is in line with the statement of the Director General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, Budi Setiyadi, during the MarkPlus Government Roundtable webinar in October. He mentioned that land transportation, particularly ferry boats and buses, does not apply a rapid test as a condition, except for entering Bali.
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Other Headlines
"When The Date Bali Opens to Foreign Tourists Is Decided, It Will Be Announced One Month In Advance" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): "That yesterday saw the readiness of the Airport simulation (Ngurah Rai Airport) if for example an international flight arrives then what is the process for the swab test at the airport," explained Deputy Governor of Bali, Cok Ace. If the swab at the airport, for example, later there will be a negative or a positive one, how do we treat it and so on. "Our initial wish was to open it in December, But it was not possible. I spoke with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; if it is possible, all industries and the public must be informed, so it will be announced one month in advance," said Cok Ace. "Because international flights are different from domestic, so they (tourists) have to look for visas.
"Indonesia Arrests Suspected Jemaah Islamiyah Leader On the Run Since Bali Bombings" from The Guardian: Indonesian police have arrested a man believed to be the military leader of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network who has eluded capture since 2003, and is suspected of being involved in the 2002 Bali bombings, authorities said Saturday. Aris Sumarsono, known as Zulkarnaen, was arrested late Thursday by counterterrorism police without resistance in a raid at a house in East Lampung district on Sumatra island, said national police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan.
(Ed. Note: This comes amid a wider crackdown on terror groups, with the National Counterterrorism Agency saying that 232 suspected terrorists have been arrested since the start of the pandemic.)
"Returning from Securing the Bangli Regional Head Election, Klungkung Police Personnel Underwent a Swab Test" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): To ensure that Klungkung Police personnel are free of covid-19 after BKO in the Bangli Police area to secure the Bangli Regional Head Election, Friday (11/12/2020), underwent a swab test at GOR Suweca Pura, Gelgel Village. Kapolres Klungkung AKBP Bima Aria Viyasa, said that Klungkung Police personnel who have returned from securing regional head elections in Bangli Regency must be completely healthy while carrying out their duties in their unit and free from Covid-19. During the BKO, the police had a lot of contact in the field, making it vulnerable to contracting covid-19.
(Ed. Note: These tests were conducted on Friday and there has not been an update about results yet, but there have not been any significant jumps in new case numbers from Klungkung or Bangli as of yet.)
"200,000 Vehicles In Bali Do Not Pay taxes, Target PAD of Rp. 3.4 Trillion Missed" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The program to collect motor vehicle taxes (PKB) and transfer fees (BBNKB) has not met the Bali provincial government's revenue (PAD) target of Rp. 3,434 trillion. This comes after the registration and payments deadline has been extended several times. The latest deadline is set for 18 December. Of the 3.2 million vehicles, both two-wheeled and four-wheeled in Bali, 700 thousand are still in arrears in taxes. The tax arrears are dominated by motorbikes with old years or no longer active.
"Russian Viral Blogger Bursting into the Bali Sea on a Motorcycle, Indonesian Netizens: Go Back to Your Country!" from iNews Bali (Indonesian): Indonesian netizens were angered by the action of a Russian blogger who plunged into the sea on a motorcycle in Bali Province . Due to his actions which were considered to have polluted the Bali sea, netizens were busy asking him to leave Indonesia and commented, “Go Back To Your Country.”
"The Indonesian Minister of Transportation and the Governor Lay the First Stone of Sanur Port Development" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): The Indonesian Minister of Transportation (Menhub), Budi Karya Sumadi and the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster , laid the groundwork for the commencement of the construction of the Sanur - Denpasar Port, and the Munjul - Nusa Ceningan Bias Port, Klungkung Regency. The target for completion of the Ordinary Munjul and Ceningan ports is by the end of 2021, while the Sanur Port, Denpasar City is planned for completion in mid-2022... "With this port facility, it will improve the quality of transportation services for three interests, namely, (1) transportation of Balinese people from Sanur to Nusa Penida when there is an piodalan ceremony at Pura Dalem Ratu Gede, (2) transportation for daily activities of the Balinese people to Nusa Penida and Nusa. Ceningan, and (3) provide comfort and a sense of security for tourists heading to Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan,” said Governor Koster.
"In 2022, Indonesia Will Do Analog Switch Off and Switch to Digital TV" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): "The switch from analogue to digital broadcasts will take place on November 2, 2022. This will end analog broadcasts in Indonesia. KPI and Kominfo together with DPR RI have the same duties and goals, namely November 2, to fully digitize national broadcasting," said the Minister of Communication and Information, Johhny G Plate. According to him, his party (Kemenkominfo), KPI and Bakti must ensure that public access to TV services does not decrease and instead receives many benefits from digital broadcasting. "Equality of access is important but also improving broadcasting must also be done," he explained.
(Ed. Note: In most western countries, the switch from analog to digital broadcasting has been driven by the ability to provide better coverage and increased bandwidth for content as well as freeing up spectrum for telecommunications, but according to this story, the Indonesian government’s primary focus is “national security” and attaining the ability to block foreign broadcasts along border regions. The governor noted that "This is to protect the Indonesian nation from foreign influence. Protecting this country is not only in the economic and defense order, but also at the cultural level.” This story is worth a read.)
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 newsletter@migrationmedia.net.
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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