Dozens Of Hotels And Restaurants In Garut Put White Flags Crying Emoticons

GARUT - As many as 30 hotels and restaurants in Garut Regency, West Java, put up white flags with crying emoticons as an act of expressing sadness related to their quiet business due to Emergency PPKM.

"We put white flags on hotels and restaurants, this is an expression of our sadness with the current business conditions," said Head of the Garut Regency Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), Deden Rohim, quoted by Antara, Monday, July 19.

He said the red and white flag with the image of crying had been installed in a number of hotels and restaurants in the urban area of Garut as an expression of entrepreneurs related to current business conditions that continued to be concerning.

Hotel and restaurant businesses in Garut, he said, have been trying to survive the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the current conditions continue to be empty of visitors due to the impact of Emergency PPKM.

"We should have been struggling for almost two years with this covid, this (flagging) is a reflection, our hearts are crying," he said.

Deden revealed that the current business conditions have made it difficult for business actors to bear employee costs and other basic operational costs, one of which is electricity bills.

If this condition continues for a long time due to Emergency PPKM, he said, hotel and restaurant businesses in Garut will be confused about paying employee salaries and maintenance costs.

"If the PPKM is extended, for example, I will hand over all employees, please ask the state for them to eat because (business actors) can no longer afford to pay," said Deden.

He hoped that the regional government would pay attention to hotel and restaurant businesses by providing subsidies or tax exemptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, the tax budget that must be paid by the government will help the company's finances, which can later be transferred to pay employee salaries.

"It can't be helped now, taxes must be paid but the place of business must be closed, I can no longer afford where I pay," he said.

Separately, Garut Regent Rudy Gunawan responded to complaints submitted by hotel and restaurant business actors through actions by putting up a white flag in Garut.

The Garut Regent stated that he would meet the Chairperson of the Garut PHRI to discuss business activities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, one of which would discuss tax reduction.

"What we can do is reduce taxes," said the Regent.