VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Travelers from 18 countries, excluding Singapore, will be allowed to enter Indonesia once international flights to Bali reopen on October 14, 2021, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has said.

These countries will be listed in the Instruction of the Home Affairs Ministry, which will be released soon, he informed.

"Regarding the countries that can enter Indonesia, there are 18 countries, which will be announced in an integrated manner and in a circular letter from the Home Affairs Minister," Pandjaitan announced at an online press conference here on Monday.

Although he did not mention the other countries, he said that Singapore has been excluded from the list. The decision was made because Singapore has not met the level 1 and 2 standards, in accordance with WHO provisions, he added.

Cases of COVID-19 in Singapore have not subsided, Pandjaitan noted. Data recorded on Sunday pegged the number of COVID-19 cases in Singapore at 2,809, he said.

As COVID-19 cases have declined in Indonesia, the government has permitted some leeway, including reopening of international flights to Bali, which will kick off from October 14.

He deemed the reopening as a good tiding. In the past week, the national daily confirmed cases have declined by 98.4 percent. Likewise, the daily confirmed cases in Java and Bali regions have dropped by 98.9 percent from their peak on July 15.

On Sunday, 39 additional deaths were recorded due to COVID-19.

Despite the improvement, Pandjaitan urged the people to remain vigilant and continuously follow the health protocols.

"The President again reminded us, his assistants, so that things don't get out of control in the midst of the current situation. Keep cases as low as possible for a long time and must be consistent," he concluded. (Antaranews)