Workers want nightspots open in Ramadhan

JAKARTA (JP): Some 300 employees from several nightspots gathered at the city council building here on Wednesday, urging the councillors to allow their entertainment centers to remain open during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan.

At the same time, six major parties in the council signed a joint-statement in which they strongly urged the city administration to close during Ramadhan any entertainment spot, including amusement centers, believed to have offered sex service or drugs to their customers.

In the statement, the factions, namely the United Development Party (PPP), Golkar, United Party, Crescent and Star Party (PBB), National Mandate Party (PAN), and Justice Party, suggested Governor Sutiyoso order owners of the places to pay the monthly wages of their employees despite the closure of their businesses during the month.

The visit at the city council by the 300 nightspot employees, escorting their bosses to meet with the councillors, was the first ever made by workers from the entertainment sector this year.

On Monday, their bosses met with Governor Sutiyoso to air their grievances over the spate of attacks committed by people claiming to be from Muslim-based organizations. Grouped in the Association of Nightspot Operators (Aspehindo), the businessmen pledged to get tough against any attacks their businesses, saying they would hire 1,000 private guards to face the radical religious groups.

Like their employers, the nightspot workers insisted that they badly needed to work but feared the threat made in a written "request" from the Islamic Defender's Front (FPI), which recently ordered their businesses closed during the fasting month.

Ramadhan this year is likely to start on Monday, Nov. 27.

The employees carried no banners and made no disturbances at the council building. But the young women, who wore gaudy, tight dresses, stole the attention of passers-by and workers at the building on Jl. Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta.

The employees calmly sat on the stairs and other handy locations in the lobby, waiting for their bosses to conclude their meeting with the councillors.

A woman who asked for anonymity, said she and her friends came to the council building after their workplace received "a threat" from FPI.

"My workplace was vandalized in September by that group. They recently warned us again and we worry that they will vandalize the place during Ramadhan," said the employee of D&D Discotheque on Jl. Blora in Central Jakarta.

The meeting between Aspehindo members and the councillors was led by council speaker Edy Waluyo.

The nightspot operators want their business to remain open during the fasting month.

They said 150,000 people in the capital depend on the operations of their businesses.

"Surrounding dwellers are also affected by the closure, since they also earn money from our businesses," Aspehindo secretary general Adrian Maelite said.

Aspehindo's deputy chairman for discotheque, Soeharto, said no one was allowed to stop nightspot operators from running their businesses, since it's part of human rights.

"Right to run businesses, as part of our rights to live, should be respected. Don't violate that right because of a few people," he said, referring to the FPI's threat.

Edy Waluyo promised to convey the demands to Governor Sutiyoso, who will decide the matter based partly on the council's recommendation.

Governor Sutiyoso has proposed to allow the businesses to open from Ramadhan's evening prayer, tarawih (about 8:30), until sahur (predawn meal).

Several days ago, deputy governor for administrative affairs, Abdul Kahfi, said that the city administration would guarantee the safety of all nightspots in the capital during the fasting month as long as they do not violate the ruling on their permitted hours of operation.

In the council's joint statement, the councillors also demanded the governor to carry out intensive raids and severely punish anyone caught taking part in vice activities, gambling, serving alcoholic drinks or disturbing the peace with firecrackers.

"The city administration has the authority to manage any businesses, with the aim to prevent rampages within the community which may be caused by those businesses. The administration should also correct Jakarta's present image, in which its social values have diminished," a statement available to the press said.

The statements were signed by chairmen of the PPP Zayadi Musa, Tadjus Sobirin of Golkar, Muhammad Banang of United Party, Saman Husni of PBB, Wasilah Sutrisno of PAN, and councillor Dani Anwar from Justice Party.

Separately at the governor's office, Sutiyoso received LPI, representatives who insisted the governor continue with his plan to close down the nightspots during Ramadhan.

"These places have earned sufficient revenue in the previous 11 months of the year, meaning that they won't suffer much loss if they should halt their operations for a month to respect Muslims," said Muhammad Alawy, the operations chief of staff of LPI, a militia unit of FPI.

Alawy said the group would ask the governor to resign if he finally met the call from the nightspot operators and workers. (asa)