Entering Bali Compulsory PCR Test, PHRI Bali: Airport Officers Don't Want To Lure 50 Thousand Silver

Bali Ngurah Rai Airport. (Irfan Meidianto / Bali)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants (PHRI) Denpasar City, Ida Bagus Gede Sidharta Putra, asked the officers guarding the entrance to Bali not to "misbehave" violating the policies of the Governor of Bali regarding the conditions for entry of tourists to the island of the gods.

"We ask those who have the authority at airports and ports to carry out their duties properly and not to be tempted by the lure of Rp. 50,000. This is because it is related to our lives, health and economic revival," said Sidharta Putra in Denpasar, quoted from Between, Thursday 17 December.

The man who is familiarly called Gusde conveyed this view in relation to the issuance of the Governor of Bali Circular Letter No. 2021 of 2020 concerning the Implementation of Community Activities During Christmas Holidays and Welcoming 2021 in the New Era of Life in Bali Province.

A number of matters are regulated, including those who travel by air transportation to Bali, must show a negative result of the PCR-based swab test no later than 2 x 24 hours before departure, and fill out Indonesia's e-HAC.

Then for those who travel using private vehicles via land and sea transportation, they must show a negative result of the Rapid Antigen test, no later than 2 x 24 hours before departure.

"For example at Gilimanuk Port, there were many people playing, even confessions from friends who 'crossed' here. Although there is a provision that they must include a certificate of rapid test results, in practice there are still those who pass without a rapid test certificate," he said.

According to Gusde, who is also the Czech Honorary Consul, the practices of "playing" or cheating will certainly be very dangerous for Bali. "The longer the case (COVID-19-ed), the longer our economy will return," he said.

When there are officers at the entrance to Bali who are not on duty properly, he continued, of course, it will also injure the compliance of people who have been disciplined in implementing 3M's health protocol, namely wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining distance.

Likewise, the local government and tourism associations have carried out certificates related to CHSE (cleanliness, health, safety / security and environmental sustainability) in various tourism accommodations and tourist attractions.

Regarding the issuance of the SE, which obliges to show the results of the swab test and antigen rapid test for tourists who come to Bali, Gusde said, also reduces the intention of tourists to travel or cancel traveling to Bali.

"On the one hand, the current tourism industry really needs the presence of domestic guests. However, this SE is counterproductive to the revival of tourism. But of course there are things that must be maintained, namely from the health side," he said.

Gusde previously hoped that with the 2021 Christmas and New Year holidays, at least the average hotel occupancy could reach the range of 15-20 percent, from the current condition, which was only filled with less than 10 percent.

"We are still seeing the progress of the decline from day to day because more and more people cancel to Bali," he said.