Malls May Open With 25 Percent Capacity, APPBI: Actually Can't Lighten Our Heavy Burden

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Shopping Center Entrepreneurs Association (APPBI) welcomes the easing of the extension of the level 4 restriction on community activities (PPKM). This is because the government has again allowed malls or shopping centers in DKI Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Semarang to operate after being closed for more than a month.

Chairman of APPBI Alphonzus Widjaja said that this easing still could not ease the burden on mall managers. This is because malls are allowed to open with a limited capacity of only 25 percent of visitors.

"The current easing is certainly still not able to ease the heavy burden, the business condition of the shopping center sector in Indonesia which has been experienced for more than a year and a half. Especially during non-operational activities for more than five weeks, namely during the implementation of Emergency PPKM and PPKM based on level. ," he said when contacted by VOI, Thursday, August 12.

Therefore, said Alphonzus, APPBI hopes that the extension of PPKM based on level for the umpteenth time can be really effective. He hopes that as soon as possible other regions or other cities can get easing.

"So that all shopping centers in Indonesia can operate at least the same as when the Micro PPKM was implemented," he said.

Alphonzus said that by allowing shopping centers to operate again, many micro and small-scale non-formal business sectors around shopping centers will also be saved from difficulties.

"So far they have lost customers, namely workers in shopping centers who do not work while the shopping center is closed," he said.

Not only that, Alphonzus also hopes that the mandatory vaccination requirements for anyone in shopping centers can encourage the acceleration of national vaccination.

"So that in the end it can accelerate the achievement of herd immunity and Indonesia will soon be able to get out of the health crisis that has lasted more than one and a half years," he explained.

As is known, the government has begun to allow shopping centers to operate in a number of cities, although it is still PPKM Level 4 for trials. A total of 138 shopping centers and malls in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya have begun to open with health protocols.

The trial period will last for one week, from 10 to 16 August 2021. The trial implementation refers to the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs No. 30 of 2021 concerning the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities Level 4, Level 3 and Level 2 in the Java and Bali Regions.

All visitors, including employees, must have been vaccinated and can be proven by a Vaccine Certificate in the PeduliLindung application, in good health, and wearing masks. However, children under 12 years old and parents over 70 years old are not allowed to enter the mall.

During the trial period, shopping centers are allowed to operate from 10:00 to 20:00 WIB with a maximum capacity of 25 percent.