Tuesday, August 18
Imigrasi says onshore visa processing delayed + Bali schools testing in-person learning while Nusa Penida announces schools will open there + 75% jump in domestic arrivals over holiday weekend + more!
Good morning! Welcome to The Bali Beat for Tuesday, August 18. I hope that you had a nice holiday weekend!. 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.
I happily put this daily newsletter together as a public service, and it will be free so long as the current emergency lasts. *A paid subscription is NOT required to access this content.* However, if you would like to support my work, please consider making a donation of US$5/month by becoming a contributing subscriber at the link above.
Weather & Waves
Today’s Weather for Southern Bali
Today’s Tides
Surf Outlook (animation shows changes from 8:00am - 6:00pm)
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 complete breakdown of yesterday’s numbers + trendlines in our evening update.
The Big News
IMMIGRATION UPDATE: I am aware of the August 14 Circular from Imigrasi that has been shared on social media, which says that some overseas embassies will begin processing telex requests for new KITAS and some business visas. Unfortunately, when I tried to open the Imigrasi website this morning it was unresponsive, so I am unable to confirm it via a direct source. I will post any media reports or official announcements here as soon as they become available.
"After Workers Test Positive for Coronavirus in Immigration Department, Kemenkumham Locked Down for One Week" from CNN Indonesia (Indonesian): The Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) will temporarily close the Ex Sentra Mulia Building until 21 August. The closure was carried out because a number of ASNs from the Directorate General of Immigration were positive for Covid-19. The office hosts the Directorate General of Immigration, the Directorate General of Intellectual Property, and the Office of the Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna H. Laoly... "Activities at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (ex Sentra Mulia) are temporarily closed from 12 to 21 August 2020 for the disinfectant spraying process," read a letter signed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Bambang Rantam Sariwanto.
(Ed. Note: The scheduled reopening of the Kemenkumham's office is one day later than August 20, which is the deadline for all foreigners who have not received extensions or new visas to exit the country before being subject to a Rp. 1 million/day penalty. This post on the Ngurah Rai Immigrasi office’s Instagram account acknowledges the delay in processing visa & extension requests and says that since it’s been caused by “a significant number of visa applicants” and the Jakarta office closing, that “no harm will be caused by this issue.” No new exit deadline or expected date for them getting through their backlog has been announced.)
"Bali Disdikpora and Schools Simulate Face-to-face Learning" from Antara (Indonesian): Bali Provincial Secretary Dewa Made Indra said the provincial and district / city education, youth and sports offices together with a number of schools in the area were conducting simulations related to the possibility of opening face-to-face learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "The face-to-face policy must be inline with national policies, the policies of the Minister of Education and Culture," said Dewa Indra... In Bali, said Dewa Indra, the education office together with schools and the task force to accelerate the handling of COVID-19 are still conducting simulations, schools in the regions which one allows for face-to-face learning. The point is, he continued, the teaching and learning process can be carried out, but it will not cause a new cluster of COVID-19 sufferers. "If it creates a new cluster, it will be 'braked' first. Even for those who have opened, if there are additional cases, (permission to open face to face-ed) will be withdrawn," he said.
"Following Central Policy, Bali Still Doesn't Accept Foreign Tourists" from The IDN Times (Indonesian): According to the Head of the Bali Provincial Tourism Office, Putu Astawa, Phase III, which is planned for 11 September 2020, depends on central policy. "For foreign tourists in Bali it depends on central policy. If on September 11, the ban has not been revoked, it means foreign tourists cannot come,” he explained.
>> Classifieds <<
In a time of social distancing, it’s harder than ever to get your message out and reinforce community. If you’ve got a story to tell or a message that needs to be heard -and if you’re reading this newsletter- than try a classified ad in this space. Click here for more details.
Other Headlines
"Nusa Penida Green Zone, Klungkung Will Do Face-to-face Learning” from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): As Nusa Penida District currently holds the status of the Covid-19 pandemic Green Zone, the Klungkung Regency Government is preparing to implement face-to-face learning systems for schools at the elementary and junior high schools. The Klungkung Education Office has formed a Verification Team which will be tasked with ensuring the readiness of schools to implement health protocols... "Nusa Penida, which has implemented health protocols well, so that the positive number of Covid-19 is now zero, therefore it can implement a face-to-face learning system at school. Meanwhile, for the Klungkung Daratan sub-districts (Banjarangkan, Klungkung, and Dawan), schools and educational institutions have not been allowed to implement a face-to-face learning system. This is because the addition of Covid-19 cases is still high and evenly distributed in the three sub-districts of Klungkung Mainland," said Regent Suwirta.
"Long Holiday of the 75th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, 11,181 Passengers Recorded Entering Bali via Ngurah Rai Airport" from The Bali Tribune (Indonesian): "Since 14 August we have experienced a significant increase in passengers, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 passengers per day, which coincides with the long holiday on August 17," said Rahmat Adil Indrawan, PTS General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero) I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport... During the Eid al-Adha holiday period which fell on July 31 to August 2, there were 6,394 passengers on domestic routes entering Bali via airplanes. Meanwhile, during the weekend holidays, 14-16 August 2020, there were 11,181 passengers arriving in Bali via domestic routes, with an average of 3,727 passengers are served per day.
"'Impossible at the Moment': Tourism Ministry Official on Govt 'Work from Bali' Plans" from The Jakarta Post: "[Inviting] foreigners to work from Bali would be impossible at the moment as the borders are still closed; they're also unable to exit [their own country]," the ministry's marketing deputy, Nia Niscaya, said. Nia added that even foreign embassy employees were not allowed to leave Jakarta. The plan is targeted at government officials and encourages them to have meeting, incentives, convention and exhibition (MICE)-related activities in Bali.
"Bali Will Have to ‘Survive’ Without Foreign Tourism Until End of 2020" from The Bali Sun: The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Chairman, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya has said that Bali will have to ‘survive’ even though its going to be very hard without foreign tourists. “We will try and focus on domestic tourists to survive until December, even though the challenges are going to be very tough,” he said. “The central government wants Bali to really implement the health protocols first, the cases must decrease. Indonesia is still a red zone, who would want to come to a red zone?”
"Bali Revival Goes Lively" from Bali Puspa News (Indonesian): For fhe first time since the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in Bali, a music concert was held with a different concept than usual. On Saturday, the Bali New Era Revivalu Festival, at the Rooftop Parking Area of Monkey Forest, Ubud, Gianyar kiked off with limited capacity; the tickets targeted at 70 cars per day for three days were sold out... The concert is very different from usual, where visitors immediately enter the car into the venue and neatly lined up and the distance is arranged in such a way as to avoid physical distancing. The Head of Focus Production and the initiator of Bali Revival, Yos Darmawan, said that the response of the community was very enthusiastic towards friends in Bali, because this is the first time after six months of not enjoying entertainment and staying at home. "The public response is very high," he explained.
"Italian Foreigner Deported for Opening an Illegal Online Spiritual Practice in Bali" from Radar Bali (Indonesian): Public Relations of the Bali Regional Office of Law and Human Rights, I Putu Surya Dharma, explained that Eros Ferrari, 51, was declared to have violated the immigration administrative action in accordance with Article 122 paragraph 1 in conjunction with Article 75 paragraph (1) of Law Number 6/2011 concerning Immigration. "The person concerned is conducting activities to open online spiritual consultation. He often travels around Bali, but mostly lives in Ubud," said Surya.
The View from Outside
"Australians in Bali On Expired Visas Are Scrambling to Comply with New Rules That Could Force Some to Leave Before End of the Week [Audio]" from ABC Radio: Australians in Bali have been given until Thursday this week to apply for new visas or leave the country – or pay daily fines for overstaying their visas. They're among 7,000 expats who've sheltered on the Indonesian island since coronavirus forced it to lockdown and close to the outside world. But now those who don't or can't renew their visas are being forced to leave, even though there are no international flights to the island.
(Ed. Note: This story does not include any information on the recent disclosure - noted above - that the delays faced by Imigrasi in processing new visa and extension requests will not cause any "harm” to foreigners who stay beyond August 20. The report also wrongly says that Covid-19 cases have been "rising" in Bali. The numbers indicate that while daily case totals rose from mid-June through mid-July, since then daily totals have fallen and the number of people listed as currently infected, or "in treatment," has steadily declined.)
"Australian Expat in Bali Says Lack of Tourists is Devastating Island, with Women Without Milk for Babies and Elderly Unable to Eat" from 9 News: Amanda Rialdi, 37, from Toowoomba, lives on the holiday island with her Indonesian husband. With her friend Ellie Griffin, who is in Perth, the pair has set up a scheme to help the local people who she says are desperate... None of the 1.3 million Aussies who travel to the Indonesian island every year have been able to visit since the end of March, and most Balinese who work in the tourism industry have lost their jobs and get little help, she says. What initially started as a plan to offer hot meals for locals every Sunday has become a mammoth five-month operation to get food and supplies to them.
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.