The Fasting Month

THE FASTING MONTH
(Night entertainment business during the fasting month)

Starting on (Indonesia time) 7 August until 14 September 2010 the night entertainment venues (such as pubs, bars, cafes, discotheques, karaoke), massage parlors and whorehouses (brothel) must be closed temporarily almost in most regions in Indonesia. The reason of this closure is to respect and to provide serenity for the Muslims during the fasting month (Indonesian: Bulan puasa). Generally each city government use the formula: From H-3 to H+3. Means three days before the first day of fasting until three days after Eid ul-Fitr (Indonesian: Idul Fitri). This is approximately equal to one month plus one week for no activity of such companies. This maybe a consequence because Muslim is majority in this country. The circumstance is definitely different in the countries with majority non-Muslim.

Last year in some cities like Jakarta, Manado and the cities in the province of Bali and Irian Jaya, the night entertainment venue were not closed totally but the city authority limiting their operating hours and asked them to not open the door vulgarly and openly (I do not know how for this year, maybe the rules are still similar to last year). In some cities even the game arena for family like Time Zone and Fun City, sport game like billiard, online game stations, and even cinemas have to limit their operating hours only from 10:00 until 17:00. Restrictions on operating hours may be different in each city. Can you imagine how many firms that affected by this rules throughout Indonesia?

There is no central legislation to regulate this issue so it all depends on the policies of each city government. However, local governments usually tend to follow majority voices to issuing the closure policy for the night entertainment venues, whorehouses and all the things which it considered can influencing this holy month, for instance, restaurants are encouraged to not open the door openly / transparently.

Other problems as a result of this rule is how the fate of the workers. There are companies that do not pays of their employees wage (especially wages based on working days / hours of work), arguing that the closure was not from management but from the willingness of government. So, who's to blame?

Happy Fasting Month


original by Meimei Dudut Ajah