Workers want nightspots open in Ramadhan

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)