Security of New Year's parties guaranteed
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration guaranteed the security of hotels, cafes, cinemas, restaurants and other recreational places holding parties to celebrate New Year's Eve, an official said on Monday.
Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said the guarantee was given in regard to a series of threats from certain groups who have demanded the total closure of nightspots during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan.
"The administration will guarantee security for places holding parties. We'll coordinate further with the city police," Kahfi told reporters at the City Hall.
He insisted that all places, except discotheques and nightclubs, would be allowed to hold New Year's Eve parties to welcome the arrival of the year 2000 as long as the owners could meet existing city regulations.
Governor Sutiyoso, through gubernatorial instruction No. 273/1999 issued on Nov. 16, initially allowed all nightspots -- including discotheques and nightclubs -- to hold New Year's Eve parties under certain conditions, due to the eve coinciding with Ramadhan.
Among the conditions were events should be focused on thanking God and self-introspection; be appropriate to Muslims still celebrating the fasting month; feature Indonesian culture and; be able to boost the spirit of revelers to work harder in the new millennium and unite as a nation.
Discotheques and nightclubs were then banned from opening at all during the fasting month and for seven days after it in a gubernatorial decree No. 62/1999 issued on Dec. 17. The move followed a series of threats and attacks on various nightspots in the capital.
Kahfi said the administration urged residents to restrain themselves from taking justice into their own hands.
"City residents should file reports to the city authorities if they find any violations, instead of taking vigilante action on their own," he said.
"We all have to avoid the impression that there is no law and order anymore in the capital city."
Tenda Semanggi
Unlike last New Year's Eves, when operators of nightspots were strictly prohibited from celebrating as it also coincided with Ramadhan, many hoteliers, restaurateurs and cinema owners are this week busy preparing parties for their customers.
Operators of Kafe Tenda Semanggi, a large foodcourt located in Sudirman Central Business District in South Jakarta, have even hired a pawang hujan (a shaman that, it is believed, can influence rainfall) for their show.
"The events here will be focused on our traditional culture and have an Islamic touch," Eppi P. Soeriawidjaja, the site's owner, told reporters on Friday.
Under the theme Fenomena 2000, the events would include, among others, singer Reza, DR. PM band and Didi Petet. It would also feature a Chinese Barongsai dragon dance and fireworks, Eppi said.
As usual, all of the site's 120 cafes would be decorated in a fancy and cozy way.
"Governor Sutiyoso is expected to visit here at 8:30 p.m," Eppi said.
The governor will mark the changing of the millennium in Jakarta by sounding a giant bende (traditional cymbal) weighing 2.5 tonnes at Ancol Dreamland in North Jakarta. Performers Nano and Ratna Riantiarno, Nungky Kusumastuti and Neno Warisman will entertain the crowd.
Star-rated hotels, such as Acacia Hotel, Omni Batavia Hotel, Borobudur Intercontinental Hotel, Dhusit Mangga Dua Hotel, Sheraton Hotel, Kempinski Hotel Plaza and Raddin Ancol Hotel are also offering special events and menus.
At Kempinski Hotel, for instance, Rp 999,999 net will mean guests get a special dinner, plus unlimited beer or soft drinks. Another packet, the "Millennium Dinner Exclusive" costs Rp 1,299,999 net and includes unlimited beer, soft drinks, imported champagnes or wines. One lucky visitor will win a door prize of a trip to Germany and Beijing.
Omni Batavia has decided to present a Chinese acrobatic from Beijing for their New Year's Eve guests.
No special events have been arranged at the Jakarta Hilton International Hotel. But live music is still available in its restaurants.
Fashion Cafe restaurant is offering a set menu at Rp 300,000 net. A standing festival dinner is offered at half the price. Live music for the special evening will be performed by actress Dewi Sandra, Denny and Didon and the Prime Band.
Unlike the Jakarta administration, authorities in the neighboring town of Bogor, a popular site for Jakartans to spend weekends, have barred owners of any night and entertainment spots -- including hotels, discotheques, pubs and cafes -- to hold any kind of parties on their premises.
The decision was announced on Monday by E. Rukanda, the head of Bogor's Office of Social Political Affairs.
"If any owners insist on conducting entertainment, the authorities will immediately stop the show," Rukanda told reporters.
He said his office had received many requests from nightspots to hold special changing-of-the-millennium events for their customers.
The ban is based on a joint agreement with the local police, who have also decided not to issue any permits from three days prior to the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan until seven days after Idul Fitri, Rukanda explained.
He said the joint agreement was also based on inputs from local Muslim leaders, who strongly urged the authorities to temporarily close all nightspots during the fasting month.
"The places are only allowed to hold breaking of-the-fast gathering and tarawih (Ramadhan evening prayer) gatherings," he said.
Rukanda reminded the public the authorities would this time enforce the decision on everyone without special treatment in a bid to avoid possible religious conflicts in Bogor.
Therefore, he asked organizers of a cultural event on New Year's Eve in a hotel in Bogor to first seek the proper permit for the show, entitled Genta Budaya Malam Seribu Tahun Nusantara (Echoes of 1,000 Years of Indonesian Culture).
Rukanda suggested the Jakarta-based show organizers obtain a permit in Jakarta before attempting to hold the event at the Salak Hotel in Bogor.
Many places are trying to hold special events to raise the price of their rooms and entrance fees. (05/bsr/ind/21)