September 20, 2021
Ministry says Ngurah Rai not opening to international flights + South Bali beaches are busy + Locals hopeful but cautious + more
Good morning!
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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
“Bali Ngurah Rai Airport Issues Opening International Flights, This is What the Ministry of Transportation says” from Kompas (Indonesian): The Ministry of Transportation emphasized that currently there are only two entrances for international flights, namely Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta and Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado. This was conveyed by Adita Irawati, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation following rumors on social media that international flights to Bali had been opened for foreign citizens. "Until today, the only entry points for international flights are through Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta and Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado. We need to convey this explanation following the news circulating on social media stating that international flights to Bali and several international airports in Indonesia have started to open," Adita said on Sunday. “We ask the public to be selective and clarify information circulating on social media first, so as not to cause confusion," he added.
“Sanur Beach and Kuta Beach are Crowded” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian): Sanur Beach was crowded with visitors in the first week of implementing PPKM Level 3 in Bali. A similar situation was seen in Kuta Beach. One visitor, Made Budiasa, was relieved to have the beach reopened. "Hearing that tourist attractions were opened, I immediately planned to come here with my family," said Budiasa Budiasa. Regarding the crowds, Spokesperson for the Denpasar City Covid-19 Task Force, I Dewa Gede Rai, asked people who visit the beach to continue to comply with health protocols. "Contagion persists even though it is a small case, therefore the procedure must be strict, and we ask the manager to also pay attention to the number of visitors who enter," said Dewa Rai.
Context: There were multiple news reports over the weekend reporting tourist attractions being busy since reopening. These included Tirta Empul (Indonesian) and Tukad Cepung Waterfall (Indonesian).
“As Popular Tourist Spots Reopen, Locals Are Hopeful but Cautious” from ABC Australia: Indonesia has begun easing restrictions for local tourists on Bali, with an eye to welcoming international visits too. Balinese local Rezuwana Burrhan said seeing visitors had been refreshing after months of strict travel restrictions. "At first, it was like a ghost town," she said, "But now it's like everyone's trying to make a life again, especially around the Kuta area.” Although Bali remains under some restrictions, popular tourist spots are now open to locals. To be granted entry, visitors must be fully vaccinated, and have their certificates stored in a digital app. "But we are afraid if we open those gates, another outbreak will come and it will be another one year or two years of the same situation. We need to eat, but we don't want the coronavirus to stay here any longer than it needs to," she said.
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Other Headlines
“Odd Even in Sanur and Kuta From September 25” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian): Denpasar Police have implemented traffic regulations in the form of odd-even blocking for vehicles in Tourist Destination Areas starting September 25. Denpasar Police Traffic Head Kompol Ni Putu Utariani said that this application was specifically for access to coastal tourist areas from the Sanur to Kuta area. "This applies on Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays, and facultative holidays," he said on Sunday. He explained that the odd-even system provisions apply to four-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles. This policy does not apply to vehicles with red-based TNKB, yellow-based TNKB, TNI/Polri operational service vehicles, vehicles of certain interests, and logistics transport vehicles.
Vaccination Update
“Vaccination in Central Lombok 18.6%, Targeted at 70% by October 5” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Chief Inspector General Mohammad Iqbal wants Central Lombok Regency to have a minimum of 70% of its population vaccinated. Iqbal is pursuing this target as a gift to the TNI whose birthday falls on October 5, 2021. "We have targeted a minimum of 41,018 people to be vaccinated a day," said Iqbal on Sunday. Iqbal noted that the implementation of World Superbike was in sight, but one of its conditions is that 70% of the population must be vaccinated. To achieve this target, 150 paramedical teams consisting of screening officers, vaccinators and observations have been formed. Every day, the teams will inject 41,018 doses of vaccine. If the target is realized, he said, then on the TNI's anniversary on October 5, the people of Central Lombok will have reached herd immunity.
Context: Lombok’s efforts to reach the 70% vaccination target in time for World Superbike have been frequently reported through September. This is the first we’ve seen that achieving the goal could also be seen as a birthday gift for the TNI.
More...
Nation: “First Dose Administered to 78.54 Million Indonesians” from Antara
Health Protocols (Prokes) & Health Services
“Eight Isolation Places Closed, Occupancy Rate 34.17%” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): Centralized isolation places (Isoters) in Denpasar City continue to reduce in number. “There are still three Isoter places in Denpasar. There used to be 11 places, now we have closed eight places," said Denpasar City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson, I Dewa Gede Rai on Sunday. According to Dewa Rai, the decrease in Isoter's place is because the number of daily confirmed positive Covid-19 patients in Denpasar has decreased. With these three Isoter places, the number of beds available is 679 beds. 232 beds or 34.17% are currently used.
More...
Nation: “Indonesia Reports Lowest Daily Covid Tally in Over a Year” from The Jakarta Globe
Province: “Active Covid-19 Cases in Bali Down 4,097, Recoveries Up 6,186” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: “PeduliLindungi Causing Delays at Ngurah Rai Airport” from Tribun Bali (Indonesian)
Badung: “Legian Beach Applies QR Code for Tourists” from Nusa Bali (Indonesian)
Denpasar: “Government Offices Start Using PeduliLindungi” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian)
Economy & Infrastructure
“Many Bali Hotels Interested in Being Quarantine Locations” from Bisnis Bali (Indonesian): Many hotels in Bali are interested in becoming quarantine locations and centralized isolation places for foreign tourists if the opening of international borders is carried out. Chairperson of the DPD Indonesian Hotel General Manager Association Bali Yoga Iswara detailed that there were at least 50 hotels in Bali that had volunteered to be quarantined locations and around 5 to 10 hotels had proposed as places of centralized isolation. Most of these hotels are located in Badung, Denpasar, and Gianyar, which are areas chosen as green zones for tourists. "Some think that quarantine hotels will get a more definite portion of cake, when it becomes a quarantine hotel it cannot accept other guests, so there is no mix-up of healthy guests and quarantine guests," he said on Friday.
More...
Nation: “NTB Wins Contract to Send 600 Tons of Coffee Beans to Turkey” from Antara Bali (Indonesian)
Education
“Task Force Carries Out School Sterilization Ahead of Face-to-Face” from Antara Bali (Indonesian): The Tangguh Dewata COVID-19 task force in Sumerta Kelod Village, Denpasar, sprayed disinfectant during school sterilization in preparation for face-to-face learning in several elementary and vocational schools in the near future. After spraying disinfectants in every village alley, the COVID-19 Task Force is now spraying to sterilize focusing on temples, banjars, schools, and the field as an effort to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Sumerta Kelod Village Head and COVID-19 Task Force Chairperson, I Gusti Ketut Anom Suardana said on Friday this activity was started by spraying disinfectant by targeting schools from elementary to vocational level.
“Hundreds of Australian Foreigners Leave Bali” from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Hundreds of Australian citizens in Bali were repatriated early on Sunday morning using a chartered Qantas aircraft. "Yes, on Saturday we served repatriation activities for Australian foreigners," said Taufan Yudhistira, Stakeholder Relations Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport. The plane arrived at Ngurah Rai Airport at around 23.10 and left Bali at around 01.10 (Sunday morning). "Approximately 180-200 foreigners were dispatched. The plane departed from Sydney to Denpasar. After that, passengers will depart from Denpasar to Darwin, Australia," he said.
“Make Sanur Beach More Beautiful and Comfortable, Aim for Completion 2022” from Radar Bali (Indonesian): The Sanur Beach area is to be transformed and beautified. The government plans to arrange coastal areas from Mertasari Beach in Sanur Kauh to Sunrise Beach in Sanur Kaja. This time the arrangement will be focused on the 6.8 km long coastal area. In addition to building a walkway or jogging track, this area will also be neatly arranged for Turtle Conservation, arrangement of traders, as well as fishermen's groups and tourist information. Deputy Mayor of Denpasar, I Kadek Agus Arya Wibawa said on Friday that the arrangement of the Sanur Beach area will be carried out to beautify and provide comfort for visitors in the Sanur tourist area.
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Of Interest
“Documents Reveal Australia Turned Blind Eye to West Papuan Massacre” from The Guardian
“Terrorist Leader Responsible for Brutal Attack in 2020 Dead” from The Jakarta Globe
“On Holidays, Canggu Kerobokan is Always Jammed” from Radar Bali (Indonesian)
“Two Russian Citizens Deported” from Bali Express (Indonesian)
How You Can Help Bali
In response to the collapse of the tourism sector in Bali and the resulting economic crisis due to Covid19, tens of thousands of families have found themselves with a greatly reduced income—if any. By the middle of 2020, over 100,000 people on Bali had lost their job. While government support has been limited, Indonesians and foreigners have sprung into action, raising funds and distributing badly needed food and everyday essentials to those most in need.
We've been raising awareness of these efforts, and if you’d like to make a contribution of any kind, you can see a list of some organisations here. Further projects have registered themselves with Bali Solidarity. 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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