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Bali to slap fines on people who go out without masks
The policy, stipulated in Gubernatorial Decree No. 46/2020, takes effect starting Monday.
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A woman walks along Kuta Beach on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Aug.15, which has seen a downturn in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
B
ali will start imposing fines of Rp 100,000 (US$6.77) on residents seen out without a face mask during the pandemic, which has taken a toll on the resort island's tourism.
The policy, stipulated in Gubernatorial Decree No. 46/2020, takes effect Monday.
Klungkung Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) head I Putu Suarta said the Bali provincial administration had informed the public regarding the latest regulation over the past week.
“On Monday, we will deploy a team to enforce health protocols. We have announced sanctions for those who do not wear face masks at all,” Suarta said on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Prior to the new policy, the administration had issued warnings to those who violated COVID-19 protocols. However, a more stringent measure was necessary given the high number of coronavirus cases in the region, Suarta said.
Read also: Bali postpones plans to welcome international travelers in September
As of Sunday, Bali recorded 6,212 infections, with 105 cases that had turned fatal, according to the central government's official COVID-19 tally.
In the latest regulation, residents of Bali will be fined if they do not wear or carry face masks in public. Those who are unable to pay the fine will have to hand over their ID cards to the authorities.
Furthermore, businesses that lack facilities instrumental to ensuring public health – such as hand sanitizer and handwashing stations – will be subject to a Rp 1 million fine.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster previously postponed plans to reopen the region to international tourists on Sept. 11 following the central government’s decision to wait until the end of this year before welcoming foreign visitors. (rfa)
