Most businesses to close for one week for Idul Fitri

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Most companies will close their offices throughout next week as they have obliged their workers to take annual leave after the official Idul Fitri holidays.

Idul Fitri will officially fall on Nov. 25 and 26, but the government has obliged its workers to take their annual leave until the end of the week, while urging businesses to follow suit.

However, personal banking activities such as cash withdrawing, fund transfers between bank accounts, bill payments, can still be done through the automated teller machine (ATMs) available in many public places, or internet banking.

"We have been preparing our ATMs for increasing withdrawals during the holiday. The schedule for refilling the ATMs has also been set. We have 24-hour officers to monitor and do such work," HSBC's vice president of public affairs, Agung Laksamana, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

All of the HSBC's branches will be closed from Nov. 24 to Nov. 28 and will open as usual on Dec. 1. However, cash offices in Pluit, Plaza Senayan and Puri Indah Mall will open on two Saturdays, Nov. 22 and 29, while those in Plaza Senayan and Puri Indah Mall will open on two Sundays, Nov. 23 and 30.

Bank Mandiri, the country's largest bank, will also close from Nov. 24 to Nov. 28.

Rusdi, a customer service officer at telephone banking service Call Mandiri, told the Post that they were ready to receive information from customers if any of their ATMs ran dry during the holiday.

"Customers can inform us at Call Mandiri (021) 5299-7777 and soon our officers will come to the location to add more funds to the ATMs," he said.

No official of the country's largest retail bank, BCA, was available to provide information over the weekend.

In the meantime, not all companies will totally close during the Idul Fitri holiday for one whole week. Workers of PT Coca- Cola Indonesia will have their day-offs from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26

"All will come back to work on Nov. 27, except those who decide to take their annual leave during the week. Officially our office will start operating as normal one day after the second day of the Idul Fitri," media relations manager of the company, Arief Mujahidin, told the Post.

He also said the company would allow the so-called "remote office" for some workers during the holiday, which means they can work from home.

Separately, the management of private Lion Air airlines should also be available for calls in case of "urgent needs" during the holiday.

"Our office staff will be off, but the management official should be ready for calls during the holiday," airline spokesman Hasyim Arsal Alhabsi said on Friday.

Meanwhile, textile workers will also enjoy a week-long holiday during Idul Fitri celebrations.

"We have been imposing the policy of two days off before and after Idul Fitri since 1974. So it is not something new, even our buyers know about this schedule," Indonesian Textile Association (API) chairman Benny Soetrisno told the Post on Friday.

He said the same situation also happened in other countries, such as China.

"During the Chinese New Year festivities, the industries are usually closed for about a week. Buyers should know about the tradition and would not place orders during those period."

However, the situation is different in the shoe industry.

In the past, some shoe producers have continued activities during Idul Fitri to meet deadlines set by foreign buyers who did not care about the Idul Fitri tradition.

"Some industries would pay overtime for those willing to work during the holiday, but most would prefer to celebrate Idul Fitri with their families," Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) secretary general Yudhi Komarudin told the Post.

At the moment, there are 92 members of Aprisindo. According to Yudhi, some 20 of them might have to continue operating during Idul Fitri to meet deadlines set by buyers.