Praying facilities in malls

Praying facilities in malls

From Republika

I am concerned and disappointed about the present praying facilities allotted by managements and owners of offices, malls and hotels in Jakarta for Moslems, including lavatory services.

There are only a few office buildings, malls and hotels in Jakarta whose facilities cover Moslems' needs. Some buildings, like Panin Building, Astek Building, the Directorate General of Inland Revenue and the Hotel Sahid Jaya, provide adequate facilities. However, a greater number of the others do not, or if they do have the facilities, they are either very small, or are obscured from sight.

It might be because these facilities were never part of the original plan and for this reason, a spare room or an empty space below the stairs or leftover land was made available for praying.

Lavatory facilities are also often absent. Western style toilets are in general available where tissues are provided for cleaning. Many among us are not accustomed to these ways. And because of this, we often have to look elsewhere for a toilet with running water. The urinals too carry no washing facilities.

This is very inconvenient for Moslems who have to clean themselves after a visit to the toilet. Toilet paper is a strange word in Indonesian culture.

Why do owners and their managers design buildings without concern for the local culture? Why are non-Moslem toilet facilities provided in a country where the majority are Moslems?

I am suggesting that the government instruct office management and building owners to make available praying facilities for Moslems and equally suitable toilet services.

The majority of office workers are mall shoppers, are Indonesian and followers of Islam. I am also suggesting that building owners, and building managements, improve these shortcomings immediately in their current planning.

ARWANSYAH JOHAN

Bekasi, West Java