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.