City decides to ban certain nightspots in Ramadhan
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.