Medan, Palembang govts order all nightspots to close during Ramadhan
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Medan and Palembang municipal governments ordered on Saturday that all nightspots in the two cities be closed during the month of Ramadhan out of respect for the fasting month.
The orders came following a similar decision by the Pekanbaru municipal government in Riau Islands province.
In a circular made available to the media on Saturday, which was signed by Ramli, the secretary of the Medan municipal government, the local authority spelled out the details of the types of entertainment venues that would be required to closed during Ramadhan.
Among them are discotheques, massage parlors, karaoke outlets, pubs and bars.
However, pubs, karaoke outlets and bars in hotels, including star-rated hotels, will be allowed to remain open as part of the city's service to tourists, especially foreigners, according to the circular.
Through the circular, the Medan government also invited all nightspot promoters in the city to come to the Medan municipal government offices on Monday to attend a briefing by local government officials. Ramli said in the circular that the government would not hesitate to impose severe sanctions on uncooperative nightspot owners, including revocation of their licenses.
Ramli said that the nightspots would also be required to close on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 in observance of Christians.
In Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province, community leaders in the city demanded that law enforcers support the decision by the Palembang municipal government to close nightspots during Ramadhan.
"Based on our experiences last year, many nightspots in Palembang stayed open during the holy month of Ramadhan in violation of the city government's order.
They were able to do so as law enforcers, including the police, failed to enforce it
In order to avoid a repetition, law enforcers must support the local government's decision," said Truman Bakri, a noted community leader in Palembang, as quoted by Antara.
Separately in Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi province, dozens of students from the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) descended on the offices of the Kendari mayor on Saturday, demanding that nightspots be closed during Ramadhan, which starts this year on Oct. 15.
An official with the Kendari municipal government told the students that the government had ordered all nightspots in the city on Thursday to shut up shop during Ramadhan.
The closure of nightspots usually stirs controversy. Devout Muslims demand that nightspots be closed, saying that this is necessary to allow them to properly observe Ramadhan. However, there have been backlashes in recent years from the owners and employees of the nightspots in cities nationwide. They say that the closure orders severely affect their earnings during the fasting month.
Back in Palembang, as Ramadhan draws near Palembang residents have begun their annual visits to public cemeteries in the city to pay their respects to deceased family members.
It is a common tradition among Indonesian Muslims nationwide to pray at the graves of family members a few days before the start of Ramadhan.