Pushback, confusion from non-essential sectors in Bali as authorities enforce mandatory closure
Bali is witnessing anticipated pushback from businesses in non-essential sectors, as authorities enforce tighter restrictions that require them to close in a bid to scale down COVID-19 transmission in the province.
The provincial government on Saturday issued a circular reaffirming that businesses in the non-essential sector “must close and implement work from home policy 100 percent” and that wedding receptions are prohibited during the Emergency Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (Emergency PPKM), which is expected to last until July 20.
“For [those in the] non-essential sectors who remain open or are in violation of the circular, authorities will act firmly in the form of closure by the task force comprising police, the military, the High Court, and the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP),” regional secretary of the Bali administration, Dewa Made Indra, said.
Feey, a 25-year-old owner of a motorcycle helmet shop in Denpasar, expressed concerns over the regulation, claiming that business owners did not receive adequate information on the matter.
“If the government wants to completely close businesses it deems non-essential, then there must be aid from the government to fulfill our daily needs,” he told Tribun Bali yesterday.
“We get income from our daily work like this, if we’re not working then we don’t get any money. We get a small income, just barely enough, and we must pay rent. When we close, it’s deadly.”
Many small business owners in Denpasar aren’t even sure what falls under the essential or non-essential category, some reports have shown, illustrating a significant gap between government policy and the very people those rules are directly affecting.
Across Bali, authorities yesterday went around town to raise awareness about the updated work from home policy. In Buleleng regency, at least one business expressed unwillingness to comply with the rule, according to a police statement. Authorities said that they will be less lenient from today onward.
“Starting [today], there will be no mercy. Anyone who violates [the policy] will be closed,” Wayan Sarba, Head of Satpol PP in Tabanan, said. (coconuts.co 12/07/2021)
Bali Officials Decided To Turn Off Public Street Lights During The Emergency Partial Lockdown
Officials from the Bali provincial government have decided to turn off all public street lights in the evening during the implementation of the emergency partial lockdown.
The Head of the Bali Covid-19 Handling Task Force, Dewa Made Indra confirmed that all the public street lighting in some areas such as public roads, tourist attractions and public facilities would be turned off at 8:00pm every evening.
“We all have agreed to turn off all public lighting in most of our areas across the island during the emergency partial lockdown.” Made Indra said on Thursday (8/7).
The policy that was made during evaluation meetings with several institutions such as the Bali governor, Police Department, Military Department and all regional governments was initiated to reduce Covid-19 transmissions as the Bed Occupancy Ratio (BOR) in several hospitals in Bali has recently increased.
“We haven’t seen any positive results from this partial lockdown so far, as transmission rates keep increasing in recent days. But at least we can reduce people’s mobility by implementing the emergency partial lockdown as it’s one of the main factors of the virus transmission in our area.” Made Indra concluded.(thebalisun.com 13/07/2021)
Foreigners evading COVID-19 quarantine, mask rule rounded up in Bali (again)
Foreigners in Bali are making headlines in Indonesia (yet again) this week amid tighter COVID-19 restrictions in the province, the group of which include the somewhat expected mask rule violators as well as one foreign national who allegedly wandered around town despite testing positive for the coronavirus.
A team of officers from the immigration office, the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), and the Health Agency in Badung regency, yesterday apprehended AN, a 33-year-old Russian national, at a villa in Canggu. She is now undergoing quarantine at a place provided by authorities.
AN tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday, but allegedly went back to her Canggu villa and even wandered about town, refusing quarantine. IGN Gede Jaya Saputra, spokesman of Badung’s COVID-19 Task Force, said they have questioned her whereabouts for the last five days and will proceed with contact tracing.
Meanwhile, at least 14 foreigners were caught without masks yesterday at a café in Canggu. Eleven people were either sanctioned with a written warning, fines of IDR1 million (US$68.72), or had their passports seized. The other three were taken to immigration and may face deportation, an official said. (coconuts.co 11/07/2021)
Bali Immigration Office Has Temporarily Closed During The Emergency Partial Lockdown
Bali Ngurah Rai Immigration Office has announced that in-person services have been temporarily put on hold during the emergency partial lockdown.
According to the official release from the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, the closure of in-person service was initiated to support the provincial government’s effort in reducing Covid-19 transmissions within the public service institutions in Bali. The Immigration Class I Ngurah Rai Bali is closed for 14 consecutive days which started from the 7th to the 20th of July 2021.
In-person service is closed for both Indonesian citizens who plan on applying for a new passport and for foreign nationals who need to extend their visa. Other than that, the online service through the APAPO app for applying online is temporarily suspended as well. Immigration service for Indonesian citizens is still available for medical purposes and other emergency situations.
Meanwhile foreign nationals who need to extend their stay permit during the emergency partial lockdown can access the official website on https://.izintinggal-online.imigrasi.go.id/ . Once the application is finished, expats are required to send a confirmation message through WhatsApp to +6285967223300 (chat only) along with proof of the online extension permit application. Expats are required to visit the immigration office if they fail to extend their visa online along with their sponsors. The immigration office, as one of the essential government sectors, is allowed to operate with only 25% of it’s capacity with strict prevention protocols in place. For further information, please call their call center +623618468395 or text +6281236956667 via WhatsApp. (thebalisun.com 11/07/2021)
International Visitors Required To Show Proof Of Covid-19 Vaccine As Entry Requirement To Bali
Indonesian officials have confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccine will be an entry requirement for international visitors by July 6th 2021.
The Maritime and Investment Minister, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan confirmed that upon arrival international visitors are required to show Covid-19 vaccine documents in order to gain entry into Indonesia, including Bali during the implementation of the emergency partial lockdown. “Apart from a negative PCR test, international visitors are required to be fully vaccinated in order to gain entry into our border.” said the Spokesman of Maritime and Investment Minister, Jodi Mahardi on Sunday (4/7).
Despite the new policy, officials will still give an exception for certain expats who plan to enter the Indonesian border without a Covid-19 vaccine document. “We have a few exceptions for certain people such as international government officials who have diplomatic relations with us.” Mahardi added. He also mentioned that both expats and Indonesian citizens who plan to enter the Indonesian border are required to undergo 8 days of quarantine at the government facilities.
This quarantine policy that was recently updated by the Health Minister was initiated to prevent creating new clusters of Covid-19 transmissions, especially with the new virus variants such as Delta and Alpha which have an incubation period of 4 days. Each person is required to get tested two times, the first is when they arrive at the airport, the other one is on day seven of their quarantine period before finally gaining entry into public areas. (thebalisun.com 11/07/2021)
2x Vaccination Required to Enter Indonesia
Foreigners arriving in Indonesia are now required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Using a vaccination standard that is quickly becoming the norm globally, the Indonesian Government’s COVID-19 Czar, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has announced the new, stricter requirement for foreign nationals to enter the Republic of Indonesia.
Quoted by the State News Agency Antara on Tuesday, 06 July 2021, Luhut said: “All foreigners coming to Indonesia must show a vaccine card. These people must have undergone (before arriving in Indonesia) the two injections necessary for full COVID immunization. No one can come to Indonesia before receiving both injections.”
Luhut also explained that in addition to presenting a vaccination card, foreign visitors must also prove they have undergone a PCR Swab Test with a “negative” result before boarding their flight to Indonesia. Once landed in Indonesia, the foreign traveler must undergo another PCR Test and then submit to 8 days of quarantine in a designated hotel. At the end of the 8-day quarantine period, another PCR Test is required. If the final test remains “negative” for the coronavirus, the foreigner can then leave quarantine.
The Minister defended the strict entry protocols, insisting similar standards have been implemented in many nations worldwide with quarantine periods varying, depending on the country, of 8, 14, to 21 days. Adding: “After we examined the studies from other countries we consider good examples, we established an 8-day quarantine period.”
The COVID-19 Czar, designated as the coordinator of Indonesia’s Emergency Limitations on Public Movement (PPKM-Darurat) Policy for Java and Bali, challenged those critical of handling the crisis to compare his steps in other locales around the world. Continuing, Luhut said the opening of Indonesia’s borders to foreign nationals also contained a component of reciprocity. “We need to act reciprocally. If other places are introducing such measures, we must do the same,” he noted.
Starting from 06 July 2021, foreigners must have a certificate showing they are fully vaccinated and proof of a “negative” PCR Swab Test performed within 48 hours of their departure for Indonesia.
Foreign diplomats and visiting foreign officials of a ministerial level are exempted from holding a valid vaccination certificate. (balidiscovery.com 08/07/2021)
Two Men Shot By Bali Police For Resisting Arrest
Two men who have been identified as Dimas Wahyu and Putu Sudiarta (a.k.a Leong) have been shot by police officers for resisting arrest after breaking into a minimarket during the emergency partial lockdown.
The Head of the Denpasar Police Department, Kombes Pol Jansen Avitus Panjaitan confirmed that the suspects were shot in their leg for attempting to resist arrest on Thursday afternoon (8/7). “The officers were forced to shoot both suspects in the leg in order to stop them from resisting arrest on Thursday afternoon around 3:00pm.” Kombes Pol Jansen said on Friday (9/7).
The police investigation began when management from one of the Circle K minimarkets that is located on Jalan Gatot Subroto Timur was broken into on Thursday during the early morning (8/7). After collecting information from the scene, both suspects were arrested on the same day from Jalan Pulau Saelus, Denpasar along with evidence such as 29 packages of cigarettes, 3 bottles of perfume, a crowbar and a motorbike.
During their operation, the suspect came to the scene with a motorbike and used the crowbar to break the door of the minimarket before finally leaving with some stolen goods. During the interrogation, the suspects admitted that the operation was initiated by Dimas. “Both of them have been detained and would potentially face 7 years of imprisonment to be held responsible for what they have done.” Kombes Pol Jansen concluded. (coconuts.co 11/07/2021)
Restaurants in Bali must close by 8pm starting today, governor says, after forgetting about this little detail in circular
Bali Governor Wayan Koster has issued a new circular reaffirming that all restaurants in Bali must not serve dine-in customers and that they must close by 8pm starting today.
The circular comes after restaurants maintained their normal operating hours and remained open until 10pm. Business owners argued that hours for restaurants were not set under the Bali Governor’s circular regulating the ongoing Emergency Enforcement of Restriction on Public Activities (Emergency PPKM).
Indeed, the original Emergency PPKM circular issued by the Bali Provincial Government on July 2 did not include when restaurants and other food establishments are expected to close. It only mandates that restaurants serve takeaway or delivery orders, but not dine-in.
“The central government has also asked us to reaffirm in the form of a revision that specifies operating hours more clearly,” I Dewa Nyoman Rai Dharmadi, who heads Bali’s COVID-19 Task Force department of law enforcement and discipline, explained.
Bali’s Emergency PPKM technically started as soon as it was first announced by the central government on July 1, and while some parts of the islands have seen busier days, it appears that mobility remains high across the province even under the new tightened restrictions.
As of yesterday, Coconuts is still receiving reports from people based in Ubud, Berawa, and Sanur that some restaurants are still serving dine-in customers.
Is it business as usual where you’re at, Coconauts? Let us know in the comments or via social media!