Slower peace in the city on the first day of Ramadhan
Slower peace in the city on the first day of Ramadhan
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city moved a little slower on Wednesday as Muslims observed
the first day of the Ramadhan fasting month with many government
and private sector offices shortening their work hours.
The usually bustling City Hall was quiet with fewer employees
and visitors in evidence. The city administration has reduced its
office hours to allow employees to properly observe the fasting
month.
"We start work at 8 a.m. and go home at 3 p.m. during the
fasting month. Usually we start working at 7:30 a.m. and go home
at 4 p.m.," said city spokesman Muhayat.
"But a number of units may still observe the usual office
hours in order to provide better service. We are being flexible
here," he said.
The City Revenue Agency building was also slightly quieter on
Wednesday with even brokers for city procurements, who usually
throng the building, being conspicuous by their absence.
The agency's cashiers, however, were busy serving residents
paying city taxes and charges.
Meanwhile, the adjacent City Council building was also quiet.
The building's lobby is usually crowded with members of the
public lobbying councillors. But none were to be seen on
Wednesday.
The councillors were keeping themselves to themselves in their
faction offices.
"Wednesday is faction day so the councillors are not having
any meetings today," a Commission D staffer said.
"Perhaps they are also preparing themselves for plenary
meetings on Thursday," he added.
According to the schedule, the councillors will get their
final say on two draft city bylaws on parking charges and fuel
tax respectively on Thursday.
Jakarta also saw less traffic on the first fasting day partly
due to the fact that most school students are on a short break
for the start of Ramadhan.
"I only need less than half an hour to go from my house in
Bekasi to my office in City hall," said one civil servant,
Bariati, adding that usually it took her about an hour to get to
the office.
Apart from city employees, a number of banks have also reduced
their opening times for Ramadhan.
City-owned Bank DKI, for example, now opens from 8:15 a.m.
until 2:45 p.m. every Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, the bank
closes even earlier, at 2:15 p.m. It's normal opening hours are
from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At BCA branches, customers are warned that counters are only
open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. instead of from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, Kiki from Bank Danamon said that employees were
starting work at 8 a.m. as usual, but they could go home at 4
p.m. instead of at 5 p.m.
Ernawati, a customer service officer with Lippobank, however,
said that her bank had not reduced its office hours during
Ramadhan.
"We still have to come to the office at 8 a.m. and the tellers
start work at 8:30 a.m.
"The tellers close their counters at 3 p.m. and we all go home
at 5 p.m." she said.
Ernawati said that her bank had in the past reduced office
hours during Ramadhan, but had been applying normal working hours
"for the past couple of years."