Nightlife back to normal

JAKARTA (JP): Nightlife in downtown Kota returned to normal on Wednesday evening following a two-day closure called by the city administration in recognition of the national week of mourning to honor the late First Lady Tien Soeharto.

Thousands of people flocked to discotheques, nightclubs, pubs, massage parlors and other amusement centers until early morning as if they had been restrained from going to such places for ages.

The majority of amusement centers in the city were closed for four days as the city administration asked all amusement centers not to open from April 27 to April 29 in observance of Idul Adha, the Islamic Day of Sacrifice. On Sunday, when the first lady passed away, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono announced a national week of mourning. The city administration called on the amusement centers to close on Monday and Tuesday to honor the late first lady.

"But, the number of people are not as many as those seen on normal days probably because they are not yet informed about the end of the two-day closure," Deddy Hidayat, a Ratax taxi driver, told The Jakarta Post yesterday morning.

A similar view was also found in various parts of South Jakarta.

Additionally managers said that they were not sure of the opening hours during this week. "I heard we have to close at 1:30 a.m, but I'm not sure," an official of a discotheque in West Jakarta said. (bsr)