Councillors want nightspots closed during Ramadhan

Councillors want nightspots closed during Ramadhan

JAKARTA (JP): Councillors from Muslim-based parties countered
on Tuesday Governor Sutiyoso's recent decision to allow
nightspots to remain open during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Contacted separately by The Jakarta Post, Zayadi Musa of the
United Development Party (PPP), Tjuk Sudono of the National
Mandate Party (PAN) and Mukhayar R.M. of the Justice Party (PK)
demanded that the governor reconsider the policy, saying it would
only create an unfavorable situation for Muslims while performing
their religious commitments.

"The opening of the nightspots will only disturb Muslims'
solemnity in performing their Ramadhan prayers," Zayadi asserted.

During Ramadhan, Muslims will refrain from eating and drinking
and from indulging in worldly acts, such as sexual intercourse,
from dawn to dusk.

Muslims also say evening prayers, locally called tarawih,
after the breaking of the fast meals. The prayers usually begin
at 7 p.m..

Tjuk's words were even stronger, urging the governor not only
to close down the nightspots during the holy month but to close
them for good.

"A temporary closure is not enough because people will assume
that immoral activities are allowed in the periods other than
Ramadhan," he said.

Nightspots such as discotheques, massage parlors, bars and
other such places are often suspected of hosting drug trafficking
activities and sex orgies.

Zayadi also demanded that the governor order the nightspot
operators to assure the welfare of their employees during the
closure period.

"The employees should be paid during the closure time. They
have worked for 11 months and the operators shouldn't be
reluctant to give them a month off," he said.

Based on a city bylaw passed last year, Sutiyoso announced
last week that nightspots could open after tarawih prayer and
close before the pre-dawn meal (sahur).

The councilors would not unveil any plan or moves against the
governor's decision to impose the city bylaw but warned that the
public would respond negatively to the policy.

"A series of attacks on nightspots committed by the Islamic
Defenders' Front (FPI), for example, were expressions of the
public's dissatisfaction with the city administration's
controversial policy," said Mukhayar.

Following a huge rally staged by the FPI, all nightspots were
closed during the holy month of Ramadhan until seven days after
the post-fasting Idul Fitri celebration last year.(07/asa)