Major cafes hire guards for safety on New Year's Eve
JAKARTA (JP): Major cafes in the capital have planned to open their doors for New Year's Eve party-goers but decided to hold no special events except life music shows and dance performances.
Contacted separately on Wednesday, some managers admitted to having already hired some people to safeguard their properties during the special evening in anticipation of possible attacks by certain Muslim groups.
New Year's Eve will be the first day of opening for cafes in Jakarta after a week-long closure, slated to start this Sunday, based on the order of a city regulation.
Champions Sports Bar Restaurant in Kemang, South Jakarta, will enliven the night with the performance of its regular band DB 16 and dancers with a disc jockey from Mustang radio, public relations and marketing staffer Desy said.
"There will be a cover charge to enter the venue, though we have yet to decide anything specific yet. The most important point is that we plan to abide by the governor's regulation to close from Dec. 24 to Dec. 30, during which we are going to discuss details of the event," Desy said.
To secure the event, the management of the place will also inform locals living in the neighborhood of its year-end party.
"We have to ask for permission from the locals as we have always done. It's important and only polite to let everybody know what we are organizing," she added.
Kemang, home to many resident expatriates, is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and art galleries.
Last week, hundreds of men attired in Muslim-looking robes attacked Pasir Putih Seafood Market Grill & Bar and nearby Salsa Club cafe, both in Kemang, causing losses of hundreds of millions of rupiah. A foreigner is quoted as saying that the attackers forced visitors to hand over their purses, jewelry and other valuable goods.
Such attacks on nightspots in the capital is no longer big news, as the city has witnessed a spate of similar unlawful raids by civilians.
Many cafe operators admitted that the absence of special events in the upcoming New Year's Eve also added to their anxieties concerning such violent action.
The other reason was the restricted time limit for them to obtain license for such events.
Local authorities have always asked managers of cafes, hotels and other entertainment places, which attempt to hold special events on public holidays, to obtain a license from the related agency. This involves paying an amount of money for so-called entertainment tax.
Places without permits will be closed down.
Another cafe in Kemang, the Jimbani Cafe and Gallery will only offer a regular live music show with no special arrangement or packages for its visitors on New Year's Eve.
"We do not have time to set up a special event or obtain permission from the local authority since we have to close for a week. So on the evening we are going to open as usual," staffer Ita said.
Amigos Restaurant also offer their regular show with no special event to greet the New Year, but for precautionary measures the management of the place will hire some military guards for the evening.
"We have help from several army soldiers to secure our place," the restaurant's staffer Heri said.
This is in contrast to Kemang's cafes. For example, Jamz Pub and Restaurant will have notable local singers Vina Panduwinata and Harvey Malaiholo to perform during New Year's Eve. The fee of the event, which will include dinner, is Rp 195,000 to Rp 275,000 per person.
The largest nightspot in Jakarta, Hailai International Executive Club will present famous comedian group, Srimulat, with ticket prices of Rp 5 million for groups of 10 people.
One of the members of staff said tickets have already sold out.
For the New Year's event, the city administration's office issued Gubernatorial Decree No. 139/2000, that sets Rp 1.5 million (US$150) as the highest price for a New Year's celebration at entertainment places across the capital.
During such special days, cafes -- like many other places -- charge their customers with extra fees for entrance, meals and entertainment.
Governor Sutiyoso issued on Nov. 22 a gubernatorial decree on the closing of nightspots on particular days and vowed to take stern action against any nightspot owners who red-handedly violated the order.
The decree orders all nightspots to close on the day before and on the first day of Ramadhan; on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; and on the two days of Idul Fitri and for three days afterwards. (dja)