Nation slated for another long weekend

Nation slated for another long weekend

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The country will relish another long weekend next week as the
government has decided to shift the holiday observing the
Ascension Day of Prophet Muhammad on May 14 to May 15 ahead of
the Buddha's Day of Enlightenment.

The moving back of the Islamic holiday, which falls in the
mid-week, the public will spend a half of the week at home or at
recreational sites between Thursday and Sunday.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla said on
Wednesday the decision would apply to all civil servants and
private employees, as well as school children and teachers.

"The government has shifted the May 14 holiday to May 15, so
everybody can enjoy four days of vacation," Jusuf told The
Jakarta Post.

The decision was part of the government's policy to move back
or forward holidays that fall in the mid-week to Monday or Friday
to enable a long weekend. The policy is aimed to boost tourism,
which has taken a slump following the Oct. 12, 2002 bombings in
Bali.

The government expected an increase in the number of domestic
tourists to visit Bali or other tourist spots across the country
to replace the decreasing number of foreign tourists.

Already there are eight holidays to be shifted this year.

A joint ministerial decree issued on Nov. 25, 2002 stipulates
that public holidays falling on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday
would be shifted to Monday, while those falling on Thursday would
be shifted to Friday.

Several holidays, however, will be exempted, namely Idul
Fitri, Christmas, New Year, the Islamic Day of Sacrifice (Idul
Adha), the Hindu Day of Silence and Independence Day.

The decree also stipulates that should any of these holidays
fall on Sunday, the government would extend the holiday until
Monday.

Also in the decree was the regulation to extend Christmas and
Idul Fitri holidays last year. It has not been decided yet
whether the extension will also apply this year.

The first practice of the holiday shifting this year took
place in March when the celebration of the Islamic New Year was
moved forward from Tuesday, March 4 to Monday, March 3.

Jusuf contended that so far the policy has managed to increase
people's awareness to visit tourist attractions across the
country.

"I hope the regulations will be applied in all private
sectors," the minister remarked. -- JP