A matter of discipline

On Jan. 20, 1997 I visited Plaza Indonesia. As maghrib time came, a friend and I went up to the mushala on the fourth floor to do the maghrib prayer. We used the back elevator (for employees) since it is the easiest way to get to the mushala, a man also entered the lift with a lit cigarette. I asked him to put out the cigarette (politely of course) but he didn't want to do it. "It's okay, since it's not being inhaled." My eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets hearing this very pathetic answer. To add to my shock, on the way up another man (in Sogo uniform) entered with a cigarette. So there were two guys with cigarettes in the small elevator. My experience did not stop there. After praying we went to take the same elevator down. There was a man (also in Sogo uniform) smoking a cigarette. I asked him to put it out even before we stepped into the elevator. Again my request was ignored, he even made a joke with his friends about the no smoking sign that sits inside the elevator. This guy was still on duty but his act showed us he wasn't aware that his uniform represented his company.

I can't tolerate this attitude. What those people did seemed to be nothing for them yet it endangered others.

Using the other elevator is no solution in this case. It is the attitude that should be changed. This takes time. However, I'm sure the building authority would have a way to sort it out. For example by placing a security guard in every elevator (like in other Plaza) to discipline those who violate the no smoking area policy.

BETA RAMDHANITA

Jakarta