Nightspots closed during Ramadhan
SURABAYA: Nightspots in Surabaya will be closed during the fasting month of Ramadhan, with only hotels allowed to stage music performances in their restaurants, an official said on Tuesday.
Head of Surabaya municipal administration's community protection and national unity agency, Suyitno Miskal, said that based on bylaw No. 6/2003 on tourism businesses, nightspots would be closed for the entire fasting month.
The nightspots, he said, included discotheques, pool halls, karaoke lounges, massage parlors and pubs. During the fasting month, red light districts are also required to cease operation, he added.
He said violators would receive a warning from the administration and repeat offenders would have their permits revoked.
"We'll also conduct raids in red light districts and nightspots during Ramadhan," Suyitno said. -- JP
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Singapore Airlines awards scholarships
MANADO: Singapore Airlines has awarded scholarships to 70 students with potential in North Sulawesi starting this 2005/2006 school year until 2008.
The recipients of the scholarships -- provided through the Singapore Airlines for Education (SIAP) program -- were selected by a team from 100 students registered to receive the scholarship.
"Economic hardship due to increased world oil prices means that many students here cannot afford to continue with their education," the company's assistant manager for public affairs, Supramaniam, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
He said the company had previously awarded scholarships to students in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surakarta, but had then added Manado as the main city in eastern Indonesia.
Since it was first launched in 2001, SIAP has provided scholarships -- which cover education costs and textbooks for a year and can be extended based on the students' academic achievements -- for 2,415 students. -- JP
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Cigarette industry braces for fuel price hike
SEMARANG, Central Java: The fuel price increase planned for Oct. 1 can be expected to drive up cigarette production costs, leading to a business slowdown, a member of the cigarette industry said on Monday.
"Even without the fuel price hike, we have been struggling with the rising price of papers, cloves and tobacco leafs. If fuel prices increase 50 percent as planned, it will hit the cigarette industry much harder," said Guntur, the secretary- general of cigarette companies in Kudus, Central Java.
Despite the worrying prospects, Guntur said laying off workers was the industry's last resort. -- Antara