MPR session brings windfall to hotels
By Emmy Fitri & Maria Endah Hulupi
JAKARTA (JP): The ongoing session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has brought a windfall to the hotel business in the capital, since all 700 MPR members are staying at luxury hotels in the run-up to the country's presidential election.
It is true that hotel occupancy rates have seen an increase following the peaceful June general elections, but they have not reached even 50 percent of the occupancy rate before the country was hit by economic crisis two years ago.
The MPR secretary-general has set a budget of Rp 50 billion for hotels during the session, which started on Oct. 1 and will finish on Oct. 21.
A total of 550 of the 700 MPR members are staying at Hotel Indonesia, one of the country's earliest luxury hotels, while the remainder are staying at Sahid Jaya Hotel.
Hotel Indonesia charges Rp 350,000 (US$46) per night for a standard room, while Sahid Jaya charges Rp 100,000 more because it offers more modern facilities and conveniences.
Staff at both hotels strive to please their guests -- not only the MPR members, who get extra services regarding their security, telecommunications and transportation to and from the MPR building in Senayan -- but also businesspeople and foreigners who are staying at the hotels.
"Our guests are disturbed when they are entering or leaving the hotel as most demonstrations are held right in front of the hotel's entrance," Herni Sunarya, Hotel Indonesia's public relation manager told The Jakarta Post.
Herni was referring to the reoccurring public demonstrations in support of or against members of certain factions in the MPR that often take place at the traffic circle in front of Hotel Indonesia.
She said that, despite some complaints, most of the guests could understand the situation as long as the protests remained peaceful.
Noting that there was good cooperation between the hotel security guards, the police and military personnel, she said that the hotel management had anticipated what measures should be taken to protect the safety of the guests should the demonstrations become out of control.
Similar efforts have also been made by the management of Sahid Jaya Hotel.
"Our hotel management and the organizers of the MPR sessions have made contingency plans in case the protests turn ugly by providing transportation and securing alternative routes from the hotel to the MPR building," explained Shinta Langka, the hotel's acting public relations manager.
Although the two hotels provide health service facilities for guests, health services and communication facilities for the MPR members are prepared by the MPR general secretariat which operates around the clock in each of the hotels.
Starting from Wednesday, however, most MPR members have checked out from the two hotels and moved to the Jakarta Hilton International Hotel and Hotel Mulia Senayan. Both are only a few minutes walk from the MPR building.
Some had moved after the swearing-in ceremony, but there was no official announcement concerning their hotels. The room tariff at the Hilton is Rp 605,000, while Hotel Mulia charges Rp 563,000.
"The decision to move the legislators to these two hotels is simply as a result of security considerations, and to give more time for the legislators to rest," said Moch. Arifin Achmad, head of the health unit at the MPR secretariat general.
He said another reason for the moves was to provide the MPR members with a more tranquil atmosphere -- far away from the noisy demonstration spots -- as the legislators are becoming increasingly busier.
For some MPR members, however, the current session is so crucial that they are working hard to voice the aspirations of the people which they represent.
Their target is the continuation of the reform process in the country. Their motto is "listen to the people wherever you go and wherever you stay".