Ramadhan good, bad for businesses
Joko E.H. Anwar, Contributor, Jakarta
Emilia, 32, seemed to be in a hurry on Thursday afternoon. She dropped by her next-door neighbor's house in an underprivileged area in Kota, Central Jakarta, on her way to meet a business partner.
"I have to meet this man who promised me a space to open a cigarette kiosk," Emilia told The Jakarta Post.
A single mother, she wanted to make sure that somebody would look after her five-year old daughter while she was away. Emilia only gave a faint smile when asked about the father.
Asking her neighbor to look after her daughter has been part of her daily routine for the past two years, ever since she started work as a waitress at a well-known night spots in town. She usually dropped her daughter off in the late afternoon and picked her up again the next morning.
That Thursday, the second day of Ramadhan, however, was slightly different. She would not go to her usual workplace since, as a result of the gubernatorial decree No. 108/2001, most entertainment spots must close their businesses during the Muslim fasting month. Violators of the decree may lose their business licenses.
Jakarta administration issued the decree after being pressured by several hard-line Muslim groups, which have a history of committing a series of violent and destructive attacks on night spots, especially during Ramadhan.
The decree affects nightclubs, discotheques, bars, saunas, massage parlors, arcades and health spas. Other businesses, such as cafes, may only operate from 8.30 p.m. to 12.30 a.m. and are required to "adjust" their services to accommodate restrictions of the Muslim holy month. This may therefore mean no alcohol and no live music.
Of course, not all of these businesses follow the rules and there are some who ignore the decree entirely, running their businesses as usual.
Still, thousands of workers employed at night spots and entertainment centers that have followed the decree, have had to find other ways to make money during Ramadhan.
"I know it's a bit late for me to start a new business now. Many of my friends started theirs a long time ago," Emilia said.
She added that many of her colleagues had opened warteg (food stalls) serving fried catfish, pecel lele.
"They have opened side businesses not only because of Ramadhan, but for insurance also, as some hard-line groups often attack places like our workplace," Emilia said.
While several entertainment businesses, including Emilia's employer, keep paying their workers, the closing of the businesses seriously hurt the employees as they make a living by supplementing their income with tips from patrons.
Emilia, who has been working at the discotheque for almost two years, only receives Rp 500,000 (US$54.4) a month from her employer. However, she can earn about Rp 3-4 million from tips.
No business means no tips. For Emilia, this also means she will not have enough money to cover monthly expenses, including rent for a 2.5 x 4 meter room for which she pays Rp 300,000 a month.
"I can no longer send money to my parents in Bekasi, either," she said, admitting that she has lost a lot of pride as a result.
Survival for those who lose their jobs during the fasting month also takes other forms, and many employees of night spots who rent rooms in the Kota area choose to go back to their home villages when Ramadhan arrives.
"They say living costs are much cheaper back home and they don't have to pay rent, since they can stay with their families," said Anto, 50, one of many residents in the Kota area who lease rooms to employees of nearby night spots.
Yadi Rosadi, 23, a waiter at the same discotheque with Emilia, has chosen to stay at home all day so as to spend as little money as possible.
"I still have my savings at the company," Yadi said, explaining that the company strongly urged its employees to save a portion of their monthly salaries with the company accountant specifically for Ramadhan.
"We have to save at least Rp 50,000 at the company. Some of us never take home our monthly pay and withdraw it only during Ramadhan, because we can live off tips," Yadi said.
As some people say, there is a silver lining behind every cloud. While Ramadhan causes many night spot employees to lose their source of income for the month, it also provides opportunities to make money.
The traditional market at Jl. Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, is one of many spots in the capital where food stalls sell traditional foods and drinks for breaking the fast. Most Indonesian Muslim break their fasts with sweet beverages and foods, such as assorted jelly served with coconut milk and sugar, which are often sold at these strategically located stalls.
These seasonal food stalls bring in really good business.
Nining, 30, a mother of three, could not hide her joy when asked about her seasonal snacks business at the market.
"Thank God, (the business) is doing very well," she said. "I'm only a housewife the rest of the year, but during the fasting month, I can make more money than my husband does."
Nining said she could make almost Rp 100,000 a day by selling various beverages and snacks, such as kolak (banana cooked in coconut milk and palm sugar) and candil (a beverage made from rice flour, coconut milk and palm sugar).
"Today I have to make some more food quickly because they all sold out," Nining said happily.
Nining's happiness was also mirrored by another seller at the market, Rita, who sells palm dates during Ramadhan.
"With this business, I can make sure that my kids will have new clothes for Lebaran (the day of celebration at the end of the fasting month)," Rita said.