JAKARTA - Bali Governor Wayan Koster emphasized that the obligation of travelers entering the Island of the Gods by air transportation must show a negative result of the swab test taken by considering the health and mental safety of the community as the top priority.
"Therefore, the principle is that if you want to travel, you must prioritize health. Not only for himself, but also for the people around him," said Koster on the sidelines of the 2020 Christmas Holidays and New Year 2021 Preparation Coordination Meeting in Jayasabha, Denpasar, as reported by Antara, Thursday, 17 December.
Koster admitted that the decision contained in the Circular of the Governor of Bali Number 2021/2020 was quite surprising for various parties considering that the time was quite short, and was valid from 18 December 2020 to 4 January 2021.
"Central government directives, swab tests (to enter Bali, red) and non-negotiable. There are no arguments, of course we have to follow (central government directives, red)," he said.
Apart from that, the message is that we must really protect Bali so that there will be no increase in infections due to the increase in people who come to Bali. "Don't let our good handling so far be 'damaged' again," he said.
For this reason, the Governor of Bali said that various interested parties need to sit together to address the crucial moments of the year-end holidays. Because it is estimated that there will be an increase in the number of tourist arrivals who will vacation in Bali.
This, said Koster, was particularly related to the handling of COVID-19, whose pandemic period has yet to show signs of ending soon.
"Initially I was going to use the old rules for the requirements of people entering Bali. But in the direction of the Minister (Menko Marves, red) on December 14, it was decided as stated in the Circular Letter Number 2021 of 2020," said Koster.
The province of Bali, he continued, is actually far out of sight in numbers and statistics from other provinces that are prioritized for handling COVID-19. However, along the way, Bali will still receive special priority considering its image as a world tourist destination.
"We have special control from the central government and this decision is a joint decision at the national level meeting with the central and regional governments, ministers and governors throughout Indonesia, not the will of the Governor of Bali alone," he said.
The firmness in this rule, continued Koster, is part of the preparations for opening the door to the arrival of international tourists in the future. Even though until now there has not been a single country that has opened its flight doors.
"But we have a process for preparation. Travel and health are two things that cannot be compared to apple to apple. However, there is a middle ground, namely the implementation of strict health protocols," he said.
If this policy goes well, it will have an impact on the image of Bali. This Bali was saved and protected by the central government with support and commitment. "So don't play games. Bali is the world's spotlight. Never mind the COVID-19 case, even falling needles have become the world's attention," he said.
Meanwhile, Bali Police Chief Inspector General Pol Putu Jayan Danu Putra emphasized that the police strongly support the Bali Governor's policy to face the Christmas and New Year holidays in 2021. "We are committed to protecting Bali from a spike in COVID-19 cases," he said.
Kapolda said that the Bali Police had prepared a humanitarian operation titled Operation Lilin Agung 2020 which prioritized the prevention of problems related to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
"Early detection and law enforcement are also part of our operations to make Bali safe and comfortable for tourists and the public," he said.
This operation was described by the Regional Police as involving 1414 personnel who would be deployed in various areas that could potentially cause crowds, including at several entrances to Bali, such as ports and airports.
The meeting also appeared to be attended by the Bali Provincial Secretary Dewa Made Indra, Danrem 163 / Wirasatya Brigadier General Husein Sagaf, Regional Secretaries or representatives of regencies / cities in Bali, relevant OPD leaders and the ranks of land, sea and air transportation stakeholders in Bali.
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