TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo praised Balinese people's consistency in practicing preventive measures mandated in health protocols to help boost the economic recovery of this Indonesia's world-class tourist destination.

The implementation of the government's mandated health protocols was observed in the Balinese people's daily lives, and along with traditional guards, locally known as pecalang, heads of villages monitor it, he said in a statement on Sunday.

"The Balinese people have prioritized their local wisdoms called 'Pararem Gering COVID-19' in promoting a public discipline amid the novel coronavirus pandemic situation," he said regarding his meeting with the Pecalangs in Jimbaran Village on Saturday.

In Bali, under the tight surveillance of the Pecalangs, each villager wanting to venture outdoors must have their village head's permit. They are also obliged to wear face masks, he said.

The violators of this mandated health protocols would be given social sanctions, such as providing five kilograms of rice, sweeping road, and cleaning public facilities, he said.

"The pecalangs have become the vanguards to ensure that their residents are well disciplined in supporting the COVID-19-related prevention efforts," Bambang Soesatyo said.

As a result of this highly-disciplined communities, the economic recovery of this Indonesia's resort island could immediately be reached, he said.

Coronavirus infections initially surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.

Since then, COVID-19 has spread to over 215 countries and territories, including 34 provinces of Indonesia, with a huge rise in death toll.

This COVID-19 pandemic has become a serious health and economic problem owing to its tremendous impacts on Indonesia's business sectors, including tourism industry.

According to the Jakarta Post quoting data from the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (July 14, 2020), the coronavirus pandemic has erased around Rp 85 trillion (US$5.87 billion) of Indonesia's tourism revenue.

The coronavirus pandemic has not only disrupted global supply chains but it has also affected aviation service industries owing to the imposition of travel restrictions and border closure in many countries.

As of August 1, 2020, Indonesia recorded 1,560 fresh cases, while 2,012 people recovered from the coronavirus disease, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

The country's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 109,936, including a total of 67,919 recoveries since President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made an announcement of Indonesia's first confirmed cases on March 2, 2020.

The number of people succumbing to COVID-19 surged by 62, thereby bringing the death toll to 5,193.

A total of 11,190 specimens from 9,355 people were examined at 320 laboratories across Indonesia on Saturday noon, thereby bringing the total number of specimens examined to 1,517,381 from 875,894 people.

Read also: Health Protocols Must be Implemented in Tourist Destinations: Expert

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