Medan, Palembang govts order all nightspots to close during Ramadhan
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.