No: 212 - 21 May -28 May 2021
Experts chide Indonesian government’s Work From Bali initiative Experts are criticizing the central government’s Work From Bali initiative this week, as some raise concerns on how the program may be counterproductive while highlighting its contradiction to Indonesia’s other COVID-19 policies. Earlier this week, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan showed support for the Work From Bali initiative by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with hotels in the Nusa Dua complex, which will see them host employees from the seven ministries under his supervision for stays and events. The initiative has been met with criticism, with many raising concerns about how such a policy would fare with the ongoing public health crisis. “That policy isn’t appropriate amid a pandemic and might be a waste of
budget even when it’s meant to revive tourism. It still uses [state] budget to go there by plane and for accommodation,” Trubus Rahardiansyah, a public policy analyst from Trisakti University, said. In addition, Trubus also brought up the possibility of people from other regions in Indonesia contributing to further spread of the coronavirus in Bali. “There’s no certainty that people from outside Bali won’t bring the virus,” he said. The same sentiment was echoed by executive director of the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Mohammad Faisal, who warned that the government should be very careful when endorsing such an initiative. “We need to be cautious about how this affects the pandemic. Especially for those coming from high-risk areas, or
will be infected during their journey to Bali,” Faisal said. Though Luhut said this was part of an effort to revive the deeply-battered tourism industry, an economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) Bhima Yudi also noted how the state budget could be put to more strategic use, such as for health or social protection programs, rather than to sponsor travel or accommodation. INDEF executive director Tauhid Ahmad, meanwhile, isn’t optimistic that the initiative will have a big impact on the revival of tourism in Bali. “In my opinion that would only contribute a little, nothing significant because in terms of numbers itself, Work From Bali won’t have that much contribution,” Tauhid said (coconuts.co)
2 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
3
4 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
The Weekly News Magazine For Sanur
19 May - 26 May 2021 seminyakweekly@gmail.com
News Compressed A Short Run-Down Of Stuff That Didn't Make It Into a Full Article Beside all that COVID-19 madness and the fact that almost all news are focusing on the development of the pandemic on the island there are still other things going on. A 34-year-old man from Karangasem has been rescued by the authorities after attempting to end his life at Sanur Beach. According to the reports the man tried to commit suicide by drinking a non-specified chemical liquid before plunging himself into the sea. Fortunately Sanur beach is not the best location to drown yourself as the depth of the water inside Sanur reef is simply not enough for such an attempt to be successful. Officials from the Denpasar Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency (BPBD) managed to bring the man
back to shore where first aid was administered before he was rushed to the hospital. The investigation is reportedly still ongoing and we couldn’t find any additional information about the outcome of the whole case yet. A local man, I Nyoman Alit (a.k.a Bolot), received some hot lead in both legs from the Bali police forces for resisting arrest around two weeks ago. A Denpasar Criminal Investigation Bureau source confirmed the arrest saying that the investigation to find the suspect was carried out for several months after the police received a report from a local resident saying that her handbag, containing 10
million Rupiah ($US700) and her phone, was stolen from a table inside her house while she was showering. During police interrogation, the suspect admitted that he had committed similar crimes at least 4 times. The man who has previously served a jail time for a similar offense is now facing another term up to 9 years behind bars for burglary and theft. The authorities in Bali’s Gianyar regency have reportedly detained dozens of children (and some adults) with some of them even carrying infants after they have been found begging on the streets. The Head of Gianyar Public Civil Service Officer, I Made Watha, confirmed that 34 beggars, mostly underage kids, have been detained with most of them reportedly originating from Bali’ Karangasem regency. According to Watha these kids previously carried out their begging activities in tourism areas but have, due to the lack of tourists, now turned to the streets of Gianyar. All of them will be sent back to their families in Karangasem who obviously sent them to South Bali for begging. Bali’s Karangasem regency is well known to be home to most of the beggars in the south. Sababay Distillery, the spirits division of Bali’s Sababay Winery has brought prestige and honors to the Island’s beverage industry by winning “Double Gold” and “Bronze” medals at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) held in late March 2021, Bali Discovery has reported. “Saba Grappa”, said to be the first Grappa made in Bali, received the “Double Gold” medal while the “Saba Vodka Infusion” receive the “Bronze” award. Both creations are not really traditional Balinese spirits but the international attention Sababay participation in the competition has brought to the island’s spirit industry might be also helpful to other distilleries in Bali. To get the latest pandemic related numbers along with some news daily follow @SanurWeekly on Facebook and get our daily wrap up with all numbers and facts on your timeline.
16
THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
5
We Don’t Care At All Tabanan Refused Tourist Attraction Closure Regardless Of Being A COVID-19 Red Zone Tabanan regency have refused to close any of these attractions.
Despite the fact that, according to a regulation issued by the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, tourist attractions in COVID-19 “Red Zones” and “Orange Zones” have to stay shut the officials in Bali’s
Tourism Agency, I Gede Sukanada confirmed that the central government has previously suggested Tabanan Tabanan is officially to close their tourist attraction declare a COVID-19 “Red sites from operating after the Zone” with a high risk to region was considered as a contract the disease while COVID-19 “Red Zone” adding the other 8 regencies on that the regency government the island are officially declared has not received any official a “Yellow Zones”. Therefore letter regarding the closure from absolutely all tourism attractions the central government. on the island should remain He also stated that closing the closed to the public. regency’s tourist attractions, such as the Bedugul Botanical The head of the Tabanan Garden and Tanah Lot, wouldn’t
prevent people from traveling. “We have limited the number of visitors to 50% at all tourist attractions instead,” Sukanada concluded. We don’t have any idea why Tabanan, beside the fact that the nationwide presidential regulation has been widely communicated since May 9, needs an extra instruction letter to start using common sense let alone the fact that the regency is clearly violating a nationwide presidential regulation.
We Make Normal Things Special Bali Government To Provide Free PCR Testing To People With COVID-19 Symptoms The head of the Bali Provincial Health Agency, Dr. I Ketut Suarjaya, has stated that the provincial government will start to provide free PCR testing to people with COVID-19 symptoms and close contacts of those.
in the free PCR testing program. Suarjaya added that this “new” measure to maximize the testing and tracing efforts are taken to find out how many people in Bali are infected with COVID-19. Well… It’s worth noting at this point that the Indonesian government does provide free According to Suarjaya there will testing for people with COVIDbe no limitation for the number 19 symptoms and their close of participants and even people contacts since the beginning of from outside Bali can participate the pandemic in Indonesia.
Based on this fact we don’t really understand the point of this latest statement made by the provincial health authorities. Tribun Bali reported that the new “Free” PCR testing program will kick off this month at the UPTD Bali Provincial Health Laboratory in Denpasar between 8am and 11am daily. According to Tribun Bali 4
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
Suarjaya confirmed that the new “Free” testing program was initiated by Bali’s Provincial Government but admitted that PCR testing is already free since the beginning of the pandemic. So what’s the point of all that then?
6 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
It’s Only One Batch Astrazeneca Vaccines In Bali Are Not From Suspended Batch The head of the Bali Provincial Health Ageny, I Ketut Suarjaya, has stated that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines used in Bali including the doses used in Sanur are not from the CTMAV547 batch which has been taken out of the distribution chain by the Indonesian FOOD and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) after a 22-year-old man in Jakarta died shortly after receiving his first shot of the vaccine. The vaccine batch in question,
containing a remaining total of of around 450,000 doses, will undergo by BPOM toxicity and sterilization testing over the next two weeks.
continue to use these vaccine doses.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is almost exclusively used in the so called “COVID“It can be confirmed that all 19 Free Green Zones” Sanur, AstraZeneca vaccines for Bali Ubud and Nusa Dua along wit are not from the suspended other regions who are also CTMAV547 batch. We will aiming to become a “COVID-19 continue use the AstraZeneca Free Green Zone”. Almost doses we have in stock in Bali,” everyone we have spoken to Suarjaya stated. The Indonesian reported minor side effects like Ministry of Health confirmed that fever, fatigue and a sore arm all other doses of AstraZeneca which lasted for a day or two but vaccines are safe for use and until now no serious side effect that the health authorities will have been officially reported.
Until now the Indonesian health authorities did not confirm that the death of the 22-year-old man is linked to the vaccination even if they believe (but did not confirm) that he died after developing blood cloths, a confirmed but very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca Vaccine (and a lot of other standard medications).
Let’s Take The Boat Bali Police Stops Boat Transporting People To Java During Travel Ban transported passengers between Bali and Java during the recent “Mudik” travel ban.
reportedly made it to the village of Sumberklampok from Denpasar without being stopped at the official checkpoints before boarding the boat.
was fined but reminded of the regulations and the travel ban.
Taking a private boat to make the crossing between Java and According to the reports a Bali has reportedly become boat carrying 12 passengers Iptu Sumarjaya from the popular during the recent travel including 2 children and 5 Buleleng Police Department ban with many reports stating The coastal police in Bali’s motorbikes has been prevented confirmed that the 12 have been that a large number of people Buleleng regency has reportedly from making the passage a temporarily detained and were has used these illegal services stopped one of probably many week ago amis the nationwide sent back to Denpasar later. but we couldn’t find any other boats which have illegally travel ban. The 12 have Sumarjaya added that no one reports of boats being stopped. 8
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY 7
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
8 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
The Weekly News Magazine For Sanur
19 May - 26 May 2021 seminyakweekly@gmail.com
C ry ptic C ro ssw o rds Across 1 Points gained from scratch (5) 4 Essentially where the old may be young (2,5) 8 Piece of linear curvature (3) 9 A blow just as it enters the eye (5,4) 10 Give credit? (7) 11 Balaclavas designed for gangsters? (5) 13 Examined in depth a cause of complaint (1-5) 15 Conditions in America (6) 18 It's expensive and going up all the time (5) 19 Put some notes in order? (7) 21 Not a home match (9) 23 Naturally it lacks refinement (3) 24 Theater employee - qualified in first aid? (7) 25 Valued trade, perhaps (5)
Down 1 Did its contents enable the orator to come clean? (7) 2 It's a cello playing swing (9) 3 Eastern lake found in the West? Strange (5) 4 He drops a line hoping for some response (6) 5 It is buried peacefully (7) 6 A tailless dog causes a commotion (3) 7 Studies Keats in translation (5) 12 Definitely not in duplicate (3,3,3) 14 Say it goes fast (7) 16 Taken from cover and shot (7) 17 Rush through a life's work (6) 18 The going rate (5) 20 It moves the helicopter up or down (5) 22 Poem said to be outstanding (3)
12 SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
Solution onon page 229 Solution for this crosswords page
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
The Weekly News Magazine For Sanur
19 May - 26 May 2021 9 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
An old man goes to the doctor. He complains that his wife can’t hear. “You need to test your wife. Stand far behind her and ask her a question. Then, start going closer to her. You will see how close you’ll get when she hears you.” The old man is happy that he can help his wife. He runs home. He sees that his wife is making dinner. “Honey!” the man says standing 20 feet away. “What are we having for dinner?” he asks. The wife doesn’t reply. The man tries again. He stands 15 feet away, but there is no answer. He stands 10 feet away and asks again. No answer. Finally, he is 5 feet away, “Honey, what are we having for dinner?” “I’ve told you four times! Pasta!” The wife answers. Peter and John are walking their dogs when they see a restaurant. “Let’s go in and get something to eat,” Peter says. “We can’t,” replies John and points at the “NO PETS ALLOWED!” sign. “Ah,ok… Don’t worry about it!” Peter puts on his sunglasses and enters, but the doorman stops him. “Sorry, no pets allowed.” “Can’t you see?” says Peter, “I am blind! This is my guide dog.” “But this is a Doberman, who uses a Doberman as a guide dog?” “Oh, you don’t know? This is the latest type of guide dog! They do a good job!” John sees that Peter’s plan is working. He puts on sunglasses too and tries to get into the restaurant with his Chihuahua. The doorman quickly stops him. “Don’t tell me that a Chihuahua is the latest type of guide dog too!” “You mean they gave me a Chihuahua!?” The leader of the vegetarian society couldn’t help himself anymore. He needed to try some pork. He really wanted to know what it tastes like. And so, on a summer’s day, he told his members that he was going on a vacation. He went out of town, and visited the nearest restaurant. He ordered a roasted pig, and impatiently waited to try it. After a few minutes, he heard someone call his name. He saw that one of his colleagues was walking towards him. Just at that same moment, the waiter came with a roasted pig, and it had an apple in its mouth. “Well, isn’t this just terrible!?” says the leader after a moment, “All I did was order an apple, and look what the apple comes with!” A grade school teacher was asking students what their parents did for a living. "Tim, you be first," she said. "What does your mother do all day?" Tim stood up and proudly said, "She's a doctor." "That's wonderful. How about you, Amie?" Amie shyly stood up, scuffed her feet and said, "My father is a mailman." "Thank you, Amie," said the teacher. "What about your father, Billy?" Billy proudly stood up and announced, "My daddy plays piano in a whorehouse." The teacher was aghast and promptly changed the subject to geography. Later that day she went to Billy's house and rang the bell. Billy's father answered the door. The teacher explained what his son had said and asked if there might be some logical explanation. Billy's father said, "I'm actually an attorney. But how can I explain a thing like that to a seven-year-old?" Some observations about diets, dieting, and dying: The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you. An engineer, a physicist, a mathematician, and a mystic were asked to name the greatest invention of all time. The engineer chose fire, which gave humanity power over matter. The physicist chose the wheel, which gave humanity the power over space. The mathematician chose the alphabet, which gave humanity power over symbols. The mystic chose the thermos bottle. "Why a thermos bottle?" the others asked. "Because the thermos keeps hot liquids hot in winter and cold liquids cold in summer." "Yes - so what?" "Think about it." said the mystic. "That little bottle how does it know?" Crossword solutiion from page 8
Masters Of The Masks
A boy was crossing a road when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess." He bent over, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket. The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful Princess, I will stay with you for one week." The boy took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket. The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a Princess, I'll stay with you and do *anything* you want." Again the boy took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket. Finally the frog asked, "What is it? I've told you I'm a beautiful Princess, that I'll stay with you for a week and do *anything* you want. Why won't you kiss me?" The boy said, "Look, I'm a computer programmer. I don't have time for girlfriends, but a talking frog is really cool." 20
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
10 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY 11
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
Seminyak Weekly is the leading advertising magazine for Seminyak and surroundings. We offer a fast, affordable and efficient advertising platform for commercial and private customers seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021
12 THE SEMINYAK WEEKLY
seminyakweekly@gmail.com
SEMINYAK WEEKLY, 21 May -28 May 2021