Ramadhan raids net officials and vendors
Ramadhan raids net officials and vendors
Puji Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru
Although Indonesia is not an Islamic state, authorities in Riau
province rounded up a number of civil servants for not fasting
and food stall owners for opening up shop on Friday.
Riau is known to be a staunch supporter of implementing
sharia, or Islamic, law.
At least three officials of the Riau administration -- all
Muslims -- were caught by public order officers on Friday hanging
out during working hours at a coffee shop on Jl. Cempaka in the
provincial capital of Pekanbaru.
"During our routine Ramadhan raid today, we found three civil
servants enjoying coffee. We have taken them to our office for
questioning," Pekanbaru public order agency head Anasri said.
The three officials, he added, went to the coffee shop in an
official car.
Three local residents -- presumably Muslim -- were also
enjoying refreshments at the coffee shop, but public order
officers refrained from taking any measures against them, as they
were not authorized to do so, said Anasri.
The Pekanbaru municipal administration had issued a circular
ahead of Ramadhan, which began on Oct. 15, prohibiting civil
servants of the Islamic faith from visiting coffee shops or other
food stalls from dawn to dusk during the holy fasting month. The
local government would impose administrative sanctions against
those found to have breached the rule.
The circular also bans Muslim food vendors from doing business
during the day for the month, and those who defy the regulation
will be taken to court.
Anasri said Friday's raid also netted five food stall vendors
or owners who were open on Jl. Pepaya, Jl. Cempaka and Jl.
Teratai in Pekanbaru.
They were taken to the public order headquarters for
questioning by a judicial team that would prosecute them, he
added.
"The suspects committed three violations. First, they didn't
have business permits. Second, they breached the mayor's circular
instructing them not operate during the day over Ramadhan, and
third, they failed to show their identity cards," Anasri said,
and that the case files of the five suspects would be submitted
to court next week.
Anasri said during an earlier Ramadhan raid on Tuesday, public
order officers also arrested two provincial administration
officials at a coffee shop on Jl. Manggis.
"We are sticking to the mayor's circular. We will take action
against every civil servant found (at food stalls)," he added.
Anasri has been asked by Riau administration secretary Mambang
Mit to provide the names of those civil servants found violating
the circular.
Anasri said he could not yet meet the request, as their
identities had not been established.