Good News From Malang, Cafe Business There Starts To Improve With Easing During PPKM Level 3

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Business actors in the Malang City area, East Java stated that the cafe business in the area is currently starting to improve in line with the implementation of the Implementation of Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

The owner of Amstirdam Coffee, Siva Raja in Malang City, East Java, said that currently the condition of his cafe business has started to improve, along with the concessions from the government to allow his place of business to receive guests.

"The current condition has started to improve. In the early days of PPKM, it was difficult because you couldn't dine-in. Now it's starting to get better, but in terms of turnover it hasn't returned," said Siva, quoted from Antara, Thursday, September 16.

Siva explained that currently customers at his cafe are allowed to eat and drink on the spot, with a maximum number of visitors of 50 percent of the total capacity.

According to him, the turnover received has also started to improve, and can cover operational costs. However, the turnover has not returned as before, because there are still a number of restrictions to suppress the spread of the virus.

"Current operating hours are still limited, including customer restrictions," said Siva.

Siva was reluctant to mention how much turnover his four cafes received in the Greater Malang area. However, the current condition is much better than during the initial PPKM period in July 2021.

At that time, the turnover received fell to 70 percent of the conditions before the PPKM period. In fact, the operational costs of his four cafes had to be covered by the management, due to a very deep decline in turnover.

"The current position is good, we can cover operational salaries, and there is a little profit. Yesterday it didn't close. In July 2021, we closed it," he said.

During the PPKM period, he continued, his party did not lay off employees. With four existing cafes, Siva has approximately 24 employees.

He admitted that the working hours and working days of the employees had to be cut, although no employees were laid off. This also results in a decrease in the income received by employees.

In the Malang City area, currently implementing PPKM level 3 to suppress the spread of the Corona virus. During the PPKM level 3 period, there were a number of adjustments made, such as cafes and restaurants being allowed to accept guests to eat on site.

Overall, in Malang City, there were 15,261 positive confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of the total, 14,023 people were reported to have recovered, 1,108 people were declared dead, and the rest were under treatment.