Monday, February 15
Imigrasi says new eVisas can be issued, old visas can be extended + Pres. Widodo says refusal to take vaccine will result in criminal sanctions + Man slips out of custody before deportation + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Monday, February 15. If you’re not a subscriber, sign up here to get this update delivered directly to your Inbox every Monday-Friday 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 island community 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: Yesterday's case numbers were unabashedly good (139), the lowest since January 4, in fact. Unfortunately, given weekend & holiday trends, it's probably best to wait to declare this weekend's dip as a trend (⬇️50% on Saturday, then, ⬇️11% more on Sunday). Testing numbers are not made public, so we can't know if this represents a genuine downturn in cases or if it reflects reduced testing volume thanks to Tumpek Landep. On the other hand, deaths, which are a lagging indicator, aren't ratcheting down (8). The running 7-day total (69) is just 5 off of the all-time high, and month-to-date fatalities (125) are now 13% above September's record pace.
For the week (Feb. 7-13), total new cases (2,238) were up 8% from previous week. Every district was up except Badung (⬇️4.26%), with Buleleng growing the most (⬆️113.58%), driven by the outbreak at Singaraja Prison. Deaths (70) were up 10%, with Denpasar (17) & Tabanan (12) leading the charge. The silver lining is that recoveries outpaced new infections, so the island's overall caseload slid down (-223, ⬇️7%) to settle below 3,000 (2,932) for the first time since January 23.
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
Ins & Outs
"Immigration Clarifies Visa and Stay Permit Policies" from Indonesia Expat: The Director-General of Immigration, Jhoni Ginting, has issued a circular letter concerning visa and stay permit policies as of 11th February 2021. Within the letter, Jhoni gives the administrative requirements and exemptions for foreigners who are allowed to enter the country. Here are the details:
Administrative requirements for e-Visa applications:
Does not require RT-PCR results
Foreigners are required to attach a statement letter that they are willing to pay for treatment independently if they are exposed to COVID-19 while in Indonesia
Exceptions from the restrictions on foreigners who can enter Indonesian territory:
Holders of valid KITAS and KITAP
Foreigners who already have eVisa
Medical assistance and support, food, and humanitarian reasons
The crew of a ship, and
Foreigners who will work on vital strategic projects, national vital objects, and national strategic projects.
Onshore visa applications are required for those who have extended their Visit Stay Permit four times and do not exceed 180 days, and holders of Limited Stay Permits who cannot extend their Residence Permits in accordance with regulations. Onshore visa applications should be done before the stay permit ends. Meanwhile, the validity period of the new stay permit for an onshore visa is calculated based on the onshore visa’s approval date, not the previous stay permit’s expiration date. (Ed. Note: For reference, Imigrasi has posted this information on their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.)
"The President Will Impose Fines for Those Who Refuse Vaccination" from Antara (Indonesian): Indonesian President Joko Widodo issued a presidential regulation which stipulates, among other things, the application of administrative and criminal sanctions for people who refuse to carry out the COVID-19 vaccination. Every person who has been designated as a target recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine who does not participate in the COVID-19 vaccination... may be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of:
postponement or termination of provision of social security or social assistance;
suspension or termination of government administration services;
fine.
Every person who has been designated as a target recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine, who does not participate in the COVID-19 vaccination... and causes obstruction to the implementation of the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, in addition to being subject to sanctions... may be subject to sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Contagious Disease Outbreaks. (Ed. Note: These are the most relevant excerpts from the President’s order. Click on the headline above to see the full list of new regulations.)
"Minister of Health Finalizes Rules, Independent Vaccine One More Step" from CNBC Indonesia (Indonesian): The Minister of Health (Menkes), Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said that he had prepared a legal umbrella related to Covid-19 independent vaccination. "Especially for the independent mutual cooperation vaccine, there will be a special health regulation. Now the finalization process. Hopefully the answer is about it. Price? We will set it so that the numbers don't go anywhere, making people wonder," he said. "Today we have a meeting to discuss mutual cooperation or independent vaccines. In the provisions of Presidential Decree number 99/2020, it is explained that there are two: the government's and independent vaccines," he concluded. Independent vaccines do not mean the Covid-19 vaccine is sold freely in Indonesia. But the Covid-19 vaccine is provided independently by the company for its employees. Independent vaccines are expected to accelerate the vaccination process in Indonesia to accelerate the formation of herd immunity (group immunity).
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Other Headlines
"International Russian Fugitive on the Run in Bali" from Indonesia Expat: Andrew Ayer, aka Andrei Kovalenko, is a Russian fugitive wanted by Interpol who was imprisoned for a drug case in Bali. He has escaped the local authority’s custody as he was readying for deportation after being handed over to Interpol on the island. Andrew is currently still being pursued by the police and immigration authorities. He had previously served a prison sentence of one and a half years in Kerobokan Class IIA Prison, Bali for a drug case... During the transfer process to the Immigration Detention Centre, Andrew was visited by his female Russian friend, with the initials ET. However, Andrew was able to escape from the immigration office during the inspection process. The fugitive is now on the run, unwilling to be handed over to Interpol because he was already on the red notice. It is not yet known what case has led him having an arrest warrant with Interpol.
Prokes & Patrols
"If 1 Citizen Is Positive Covid-19, Denpasar Performs Tracing To 20 People Who Are In Close Contact" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): Denpasar's Covid-19 Task Force has asked residents who are still awaiting the results of the swab test results of tracing who have symptoms not to travel and perform self isolation before the swab test results came out. "The regulation in Denpasar City Government, 1 patient is positive for 20 tracing close contact. So, out of 20, a swab test is mandatory. If you are symptomatic, isolation is mandatory, if it is not enough to apply the prokes if you are active at home or outside the house before the results of the swab come out," said I Dewa Gede Rai, Task Force Spokesperson.
More...
Island: "Extending Tracing of Close Contacts to Covid-19 Patients, Bali Province Tracers Assisted by the TNI and Polri" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian)
Bangli: "Joint Team Justisi Operation Holds Find 3 Prokes Violators" from Bali Puspa news (Indonesian)
Vaccination Update
"Zone-based Vaccine Program to Focus on High-risk Clusters: Ministry" from Antara: The Health Ministry's spokesperson for the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, Siti Nadia Tarmizi emphasized that not all areas in a province would be covered by the spatial clustering exercise as health workers would solely focus on those at the highest risk of contracting a coronavirus infection. In a province with 19 districts/cities, for instance, if there are only three administrative areas that are at the highest risk for COVID-19, the zone-based vaccination program will be directed only at the three districts/cities. Residents in red zones (with severe infection risk) would automatically be prioritized to get vaccine jabs, Tarmizi said, adding that a final decision on the standard operating procedure for the zone-based vaccination program is yet to be made.
More...
Nation: "1,068,747 Medical Workers Get First Doses of Vaccine as of Sunday" from Antara
Buleleng: "Realization of Phase I Vaccination Reaches 84%" from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Hospital Capacity Update
"Klungkung Hospital ICU Filled with Covid-19 Patients, Only This Bed Left" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): Klungkung Hospital is still busy with handling Covid-19 patients. Although PPKM has been implemented, in fact Covid-19 patients continue to increase. From a capacity of 14 ICU beds, 13 patients have been filled. Currently, Klungkung Hospital has three Covid-19 isolation rooms, with a capacity of 63 beds. Of these, the hospital is still treating 46 patients.
More...
Badung: "The New Building of RSD Mangusada Is Expected to Be Able to Function Soon" from Bali Express (Indonesian)
"Disdik Tabanan Designing Elementary School Student Study Groups in the Green Zone" from The Bali Post (Indonesian): According to village-based mapping by Tabanan's Covid-19 Task Force, many villages in Tabanan are in the Yellow and even Green Zones. Thus, according to the Minister's regulation, face-to-face learning is certainly possibly in the two zones. "This is limited to our plans and intentions at the Education Office, and of course it must be first conveyed to the Head of the Tabanan Task Force , whether it is approved or not, explained the Head of the Tabanan Education Office, I Nyoman Putra.
"Badung Is the Main Objective of the Long-term Visa Program" from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Badung Regency is the main destination for the long-term visa program which is being discussed by the Ministry of Tourism as a solution to restore tourism in Bali. The rule that would allow foreign tourists to stay in Indonesia for a period of 5 years is still being discussed with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham). "We have coordinated with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. I together with the Director General of Immigration want to complete the discussion so that by mid-2021 it can be launched," explained Minister of Tourism Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno. The target market that this long-term visa program will target is foreign tourists aged 60 years and over with a potential income of US $ 1.5 billion.
"Livestock Theft Is Rampant, Nusa Penida Residents Are Anxious, This Is the Police Response" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The people of Nusa Penida Subdistrict, especially those who live in Bungamekar Village, have been worried by the rampant theft of poultry and livestock since the last few days. People who have experienced theft admit that they have lost birds, chickens and even pigs. Where the poultry and livestock of the residents are kept in gardens which are actually not far from residential areas. Head of the Nusa Penida Police, Police Commissioner I Gede Sukadana admitted that no residents had reported experiencing a theft incident to the Nusa Penida Police until yesterday. "But we are still carrying out investigations," he said.
Of Interest
"Exposed to Covid, Adjutant to the Mayor of Denpasar Died" from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
"The Chief of Jembrana Police is Positive Covid-19 After Receiving the First Phase Vaccine" from Kompas (Indonesian)
"Task Force Chief Makes Recovery From Covid-19 After Self-isolation" from Antara
"Masterful and Powerful Record of Bali Massacre Wins Blake Prize" from The Sydney Morning Herald
"Mount Raung's Volcanic Ash Began to Decline" from Antara (Indonesian)
"Citilink Opens 3 New Domestic Routes, Including Denpasar-Labuan Bajo" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian)
"Lunar New Year, Nusa Penida and Lembongan Lonely Crossing" from Bali Express (Indonesian):
"Valentine's Flower Seller in Denpasar Bali Squashed by Covid-19 and PPKM" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian)
"Valentine in the Middle of a Pandemic, Chocolate Penis Still Best Seller" from Bali Express (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 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.
Our standards
We only include news items from established media sources
We do not share rumors.
We do not include opinion pieces or forecasts.
For all stories marked "Indonesian" I have used Google Translate to convert it from Bahasa. In most cases I try to polish the excerpt and/or write a short summary in proper English to help clarify the details.
For any questions, comments or tips, please contact us at newsletter@migrationmedia.net.