Not Allowed To Eat On The Spot During PPKM Emergency, Restaurant Entrepreneur: Only 25 Percent Of Take Away Sales

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) said the impact of the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) policy made food sales in restaurants only in the range of 15 to 25 percent. Because, in Emergency PPKM restaurants can only serve delivery and take away or take home.

As is known, the government has officially imposed an emergency community activity restriction (PPKM) from Saturday, July 3 to July 20, 2021. Shopping centers or malls are also not allowed to operate.

Deputy Chairperson of the DKI Jakarta PHRI Restaurant Division, Rully Rifai, said that this condition was very detrimental to restaurant owners, especially the lower middle class. Because, with high production costs and lack of sales, entrepreneurs make losses.

"For the restaurant sector at this time, we can't do anything. Because all restaurants are not allowed to have any activities, the government is completely closed," he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, July 5.

Rufai said the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and government policies was more frightening than at the beginning of 2020. Even with low income, restaurant entrepreneurs have difficulty paying employee salaries, renting space, electricity and paying billboard taxes.

Therefore, PHRI urges the government to provide meaningful assistance to save businesses and avoid termination of employment or layoffs. The assistance needed includes subsidies for labor, electricity and tax delays.

"We also have employees, we have other burdens. If we don't get help, then automatically for the short term this will definitely lay off employees. But if this continues, there will definitely be layoffs," he said.

Rifai assessed that the Emergency PPKM policy was no different from the regional quarantine policy or lockdown. However, entrepreneurs still do not get serious attention from the government to maintain their business.

"For this restaurant, it's the same as being locked down. Frankly, we can't do anything anymore, we can't make any suggestions, other than expecting (assistance) from the government," he said.

Previously, the government officially imposed restrictions on emergency community activities (PPKM) from Saturday, July 3 to July 20, 2021. The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment as well as the coordinator of the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM Luhut Pandjaitan said that with the implementation of the Emergency PPKM, there would be no shopping centers or malls. which can be opened.

"Activities in malls or shopping centers are temporarily closed, I repeat, temporarily closed. So no malls are open until 20 (July)," he said in a virtual press conference, Thursday, July 1.

Furthermore, Luhut said that with the implementation of the Emergency PPKM, it is hoped that the COVID-19 cases in the country will be reduced to below 100,000.

Then, for supermarkets, traditional markets, grocery stores, and supermarkets that sell daily necessities, operating is limited to 20.00 local time with a capacity of 50 percent of visitors.

"Eating, drinking in public places such as food stalls, cafes, street stalls, both in separate locations, only accept take away and do not dine in," said Luhut.