City decides to ban certain nightspots in Ramadhan
Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city administration decided on Monday to ban certain nightspots, including discotheques and massage parlors, from operating during the fasting month of Ramadhan.
"We decided to apply the same decision as for last year's Ramadhan," Governor Sutiyoso announced after presiding over a meeting with city leaders, including city police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara and Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. M. Yahya.
A gubernatorial decree issued last year bans certain entertainment spots, such as discotheques and massage parlors from operating during the fasting month. Massage parlors with blind masseurs are exempt.
Other entertainment centers, such as cafes, singing halls or karaokes, and pubs, are allowed to operate between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. during Ramadhan.
Discotheques in star-rated hotels may remain open during the fasting month.
However, the establishments may not open on the first day of Ramadhan, the night of the revelation of the Koran in the middle of Ramadhan and on the two days of Idul Fitri.
Ramadhan starts early next month.
On Monday, thousands of demonstrators representing entertainment centers demonstrated at the City Council building and at City Hall to demand that the administration allow them to remain open during the fasting month.
According to the secretary of the Entertainment Centers Owners Association, Adrian Maelite, some 250,000 people worked at the affected establishments. He estimated that the establishments support more than one million people, including informal traders and families of entertainment centers' workers.
Even though certain nightspots would not be allowed to open during Ramadhan, Adrian did not object because the majority of entertainment centers would be allowed to open.
"That's fair enough," he said.
During Monday's rally, the demonstrators also urged the administration to ban the militant Islam Defenders Front (FPI), which often vandalizes nightspots.
Police have detained eight FPI members who are suspected of vandalizing several entertainment centers in West Jakarta two weeks ago.
Makbul pledged on Tuesday to deal sternly with the group if it continued to vandalize entertainment centers. He said FPI chief Rizieq Shihab would be questioned on Wednesday as a suspect in relation to the vandalism in West Jakarta.
Militant groups that were established after the downfall of president Soeharto in May 1998, have demanded that nightspots be forced to close during Ramadhan.
Many believe a few military and police generals backed the establishment of the militant groups, which were initially used as Pamswakarsa civilian security units to support the reelection of president B.J. Habibie.
After they served their purpose, their military and police patrons withdrew their support and the groups were left to their own devices. In past years, the groups had close relations with the police and military and were often invited to functions.