November 23, 2021
Bali waiting for details on New Years PPKM and fireworks ban + Foreign tourists reluctant to travel to Bali + Face recognition tech coming to Indonesian airports + more
Good morning!
Welcome to The Bali Beat for Tuesday, November 23. If you’re not a subscriber, please sign up here to have this newsletter emailed to your inbox every weekday morning, along with a Sunday evening summary of the past week’s Covid-19 and vaccination data. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!
Please be sure to share The Bali Beat with your friends, family and anyone else in the community by clicking the button below. If you’re on Twitter, you can follow us there @thebalibeat.
*A paid subscription is NOT required to access this newsletter.* If you would like to support our news gathering efforts, please consider making a donation of US$5/month by becoming a contributing subscriber via the link above. If you’d prefer to make a one-time donation — of any amount — please click here.
Weather & Tides
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Meteorology, Climatology & Geophysics Council (Link)
Tide table from Tide-forecast.com.
Daily Covid Update
National Figures
Local Figures
The Big News
“Soekarno-Hatta Airport to Apply Face Recognition Technology in 2022” from Tempo: Starting next year, PT Angkasa Pura II shall apply face recognition technology at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. "It will be applied in January 2022," said Yado Yarismano, Vice President of Corporate Communication PT Angkasa Pura II on Monday. The first stage of face recognition implementation will start at the airport. "It will be integrated with Travelin and TravelinKiosk apps that will be provided at the airport," he said. Passengers can validate their identity, boarding pass and health report with PeduiLindungi. "Face recognition in its early stage will be available at Security Check Point 2 (SCP 2) at Domestic Departure, Terminal 3," said Muhammad Awaluddin, AP II Director. In January 2022, face recognition will be available in all of Soekarno-Hatta airport area. According to Wahyu Cahyadi, Chief Project AP II, face recognition will be applied to other airports run by AP II.
Context: There is no indication in the full story that face recognition is to be integrated into the PeduiLindungi app, nor if PeduiLindungi data would be integrated with the Travelin and TravelinKiosk apps.
“Governor of Bali Waiting for Details on Christmas/New Years PPKM Level 3” from Kumparan (Indonesian): The Central Government is tightening PPKM during the Christmas and New Year's Day holiday season next month. PPKM Level 3 will be applied evenly throughout Indonesia, including in Bali. Responding to the plan, the Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster, said that there was no confirmation yet. "I have not received confirmation from the Central Government, of course there will be a meeting to discuss this," said Koster on Monday. Meanwhile, regarding the ban on fireworks at the turn of the year, his party reiterated that they were not aware of such prohibitions. "I don't know that there is a ban, because there has been no discussion. Don't think it will be discussed in the meeting. Of course, we must consider the spirit of tourism actors, we respect it. However, the government's interest in protecting Indonesia is put forward," he added.
Context: This is in contrast to reporting yesterday (Indonesian) that fireworks would be banned (quoting Bali’s Deputy Governor) and the prescribed PPKM Level 3 enforced.
“Government Will Discuss Rules on Quarantine for Foreign Tourists to Bali” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Since it was reopened after more than a month, so far no foreign tourists have arrived in Bali with direct flights. Following up on this, the government continues to evaluate the policies that have been issued and monitor the situation of potential market countries, especially Australia. "The government will re-discuss quarantine rules, direct flight provisions, and visa policies to make them more attractive and competitive with neighboring countries," said Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno on Monday. "The central government will continue to coordinate with local governments to ensure compliance with health procedures in the regions goes well so that the opening of tourism for foreign tourists does not cause a significant spike in cases and new variants do not emerge," added Sandiaga Uno.
Context: As of yesterday there are no direct international flights into Bali. Other media reports noted that early 2022 may see the return of international flights to Bali (Indonesian).
>> Classifieds <<
Investment options are all around us — but if you're only thinking about stocks, you're missing out on a major opportunity. Alternative Assets is about the world of options that don't get talked about as much. Think Sports Cards, Wine, Books, NFTs, Video Games, and Websites. Subscribe Now!
Do you invest in Stocks, Crypto, Real Estate & other asset classes? Logging into multiple accounts & apps just to check performance and balances? You can now manage all of your investment accounts from 1 simple dashboard + unlock more than $2,000 free to invest in Bitcoin, stocks, fine art, startups and more. Sign up for MoneyMade now to activate.
Founded after the 2017 Mount Agung eruptions, Yayasan Team Action Amed works with village leaders to provide aid to those in need. Check out their Instagram and Facebook pages, donate via their GoGetFunding page or PayPal, or visit their website for other options & to learn more
Want to share your message with the most engaged members of the foreigner community in Bali? Click here to learn how to place a classified ad.
Other Headlines
“Foreign Tourists Are Still Reluctant to Go to Bali” from Detik (Indonesian): Although it has been opened to tourists since October, no foreign tourists have come to Bali. There are several obstacles according to Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno. "Second, direct flights are an obstacle and certainty of residency or citizenship bases, this is also one of the reasons for this. The problem is that many foreign tourists live in regions or countries where they work. So it's not where they hold their passports," he said on Monday. Sandiaga also received input about visas which were considered difficult, where foreign tourists had to have a guarantor, the fees were expensive and the quota was limited. For visas that are considered burdensome, Sandiaga admitted that his ministry will formulate a method to obtain an increase in the quota and the abolition of the guarantor provision.
Context: The cost of, and its bundling with, the B211 Business visa, thus requiring a guarantor (most often a visa agent), have been repeatedly noted as deterrents to visitors as the process is somewhat confusing (Indonesian) and (in regional terms) expensive.
“Evicted Villagers Pay the Price for MotoGP's Indonesia Return” from Agence France-Presse: Lombok’s new circuit is part of a mega tourism infrastructure project denounced by the UN over the eviction of local families. Several villages have been relocated voluntarily or by force for construction of the new Mandalika circuit, but around 40 families are still holding out in the centre of the track despite intimidation to cede their land. Making matters worse, local wells have run dry for six months since tunnels were built under the circuit, leaving residents without water. Security forces have been deployed to remove some families while others have been coerced into accepting meagre compensation packages, said human rights lawyer Widodo Dwi Putro, who is defending the villagers. Special rapporteur on human rights and extreme poverty Olivier De Schutter said the project had seen "complaints about land grabbing, evictions of indigenous communities in the Sasak ethnic group and intimidation and threats against defenders of local populations".
Vaccination Update
“Bali Migrant Workers Have Difficulty Going Overseas Due to Vaccine Requirements” from Detik (Indonesian): Prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers from Bali have had difficulty traveling abroad because of COVID-19 vaccination requirements. The reason is there are a number of countries that require certain vaccine brands for travellers, one of which is the Moderna vaccine. While the policy of the COVID-19 Task Force, Moderna's vaccine is limited to boosters for health workers or medical personnel. "For this reason, we hope that the Governor will encourage the central government to provide a booster vaccine policy for CPMI or prospective apprentices abroad," said member of the Bali DPRD I Made Suardana on Monday. The Governor of Bali, Wayan Koster said "I'm afraid (if given) it will become a problem for the community and later it can lead to problems and can be addressed to the Ministry of Health."
Context: Roughly 80% of Indonesia’s eligible population have received the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccinations, though the Sinovac/Sinopharm percentage is around the 50% mark on Bali.
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Bali Readies Centralised Isolation Facilities With 1,220 Beds” from Antara: Bali Province's COVID-19 Handling Task Force and regional task forces have readied 243 centralised isolation facilities equipped with a total of 1,220 beds despite a recent decline in COVID-19 cases on the island. "As of Sunday, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Bali reached 147," the province's task force secretary I. Made Rentin stated on Monday. Out of the 147 active cases, some 79 people are being treated at centralised isolation facilities, while some 56 individuals are receiving treatment in referral hospitals, and 12 people are undergoing self-isolation, he said.
More...
Nation: “Low Immunization During Pandemic Triggers Outbreak” from Antara
Nation: “Beware of Spike in Cases Says Covid-19 Task Force” from Antara
Nation: “NTT Government Waives Covid-19 Test for Fully Vaccinated Travelers” from Suara Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Judiciary Team Nets 28 Prokes Violators” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “97.17% of Denpasar Residents Recovered From Covid-19” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Bali Targets Regional Revenue for 2022 of IDR 5.04 Trillion” from Antara Bali (Indonesian): The Bali Government has designed a regional revenue target for 2022 of more than IDR 5.04 trillion and has been approved in the Plenary Session of the local provincial DPRD with the agenda of setting a regional regulation on the Regional Budget of the Semesta Planning for the 2022 Fiscal Year to become a regional regulation. In the plenary session chaired by the chairman of the Bali Provincial DPRD, I Nyoman Adi Wiryatama, it was also determined that regional expenditures amounted to more than IDR 6.1 trillion and a deficit of more than IDR 1.05 trillion.
More...
Nation: “Mataram MSME Sales Top Rp100 Million at Mandalika WSBK” from Antara
Nation: “AirAsia Indonesia Reopens Nine Domestic Flights” from Tempo
Education
“Govt Revising Guidelines for Face-to-face Learning” from Antara: The Indonesian government is revising the guidelines for the implementation of face-to-face learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The revision of the joint decree on the implementation of face-to-face learning is already being finalized, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Monday. Some areas with a low number of COVID-19 cases have claimed to be ready to conduct full face-to-face learning, he said. However, there are other regions that have decided to temporarily halt face-to-face learning in certain schools after students and/or teachers were infected with COVID-19, he added. Therefore, according to him, the Ministry of Health together with the Education Ministry collaborated to tighten supervision of health protocols' implementation in schools.
Bali Reopening
“Bali Governor Asks Tourism Actors to Be Patient, Don't Make Petitions” from CNN Indonesia (Indonesian): Bali Governor I Wayan Koster commented on the actions of Bali tourism actors who made a petition to the Indonesian President Joko Widodo asking for the conditions for foreign tourists to enter to be changed. "I ask the board members to share awareness and understanding with tourism actors, to be patient a little. No, there are petitions of all kinds because they are counterproductive, do not solve the problem. I am working, very seriously working, to deal with the pandemic so that recovery as soon as possible," said Koster on Monday. "The central government has also given extraordinary attention to us in the province of Bali, what is not given, everything is given what we ask for, everything is given. However, the situation is not yet possible for us to do as expected by tourism actors," he said, then asked come back to be patient, and organize slowly.
More...
“Christmas/New Years PPKM Level 3, Tourism Actors Ask for a Rethink” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
“South Korea Wants to Increase Cooperation with Bali” from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian)
Of Interest
“Mount Ili Lewotolok in Lembata NTT Erupts” from Bali Bisnis (Indonesian)
“Slaughtered Chicken Waste Discharged into River” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
The Bali Beat welcomes submissions from any group or venue based on the island! For information on how you can include your event in this list, click here.
How You Can Help Bali
Due to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. If you’d like to support organizations working to help those in need, you can see a list of some here.
*This newsletter is a product of Outlanders. To learn more about our editorial policies, click here. For any questions, comments or tips, please contact us at TheBaliBeat@outlanders.global.