Entrepreneurs At The Mall Ask Anies To Cover Their Employees' Salaries During The PSBB

The Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan. (Photo: DKI Jakarta Provincial Government Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The Association of Indonesian Shopping Center Tenants (Hippindo) asked the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta to cover the cost of employee salaries as long as volume II of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in total is enforced. This is because employers or tenants in malls, especially restaurants, have lost turnover and are unable to pay employee salaries.

Chairman of Hippindo, Budihardjo Iduansjah said, the policy of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government which only allows take away or delivery services during the PSBB has put food and beverages (FnB) outlets under significant pressure. Especially for large companies that have outlets in shopping centers.

According to Budi, so far take away services only contribute 10 to 15 percent of revenue. Meanwhile, the largest income, which is 90 percent, comes from dine-in services or eating on the spot.

"If it is closed, please pay our employees. FnB, cafe restaurants, of all kinds, including McDonald's, KFC, are all the biggest in the dine in. So people want to eat, packs are only 10 percent. So if now the input is limited to only 10 percent. cover of salary, rent, and supplier bills ?, "he told VOI, in Jakarta, Friday, September 18.

The largest expenditure, said Budi, was allocated to three posts, namely employee salaries, operational costs and supplier billing costs. According to him, when the DKI Provincial Government decided to re-enforce the PSBB policy, many entrepreneurs were forced to close their businesses and lay off their employees.

"Choosing to close temporarily. Because opening is also a loss. Imagine us opening it, paying rent, paying salaries, paying electricity but only 10 percent comes. Unable to cover (expenses), eventually the employees are sent home until the PSBB is finished. That means they don't get a salary because they are sent home. . There are many like that. Because if they open they will go bankrupt, "he explained.

To help retailers survive, said Budi, the government must provide assistance in the form of cash. Later, this money will be used to pay employee salaries and rent for buildings.

He gave an example of Singapore and Malaysia where retailers were assisted during the PSBB by providing assistance for 80 percent of employee costs. Then, there is also assistance to the shopping center by helping tenants pay 50 percent of the rental fee.

"So what we are asking for is to give us money. Don't allocate money for things that are not right anymore. For each tenant, the allocation of expenses is 30 percent for operations and 30 percent salaries. That's 60 percent. help our employees and suppliers, "he explained

According to Budi, the government must provide assistance to retailers because by saving their businesses, jobs will still exist. So that employees do not have to lose their jobs in the midst of a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The important thing is to be assisted by creating job opportunities. Entrepreneurs are living their jobs, it's hard to find jobs now," he said.

Meanwhile, the DKI Jakarta Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Ellen Hidayat said that the problems faced by tenants related to dropping turnover because they could not be dine in were not his responsibility.

Regarding high expenditure but small opinions, said Ellen, restaurant entrepreneurs can convey this directly to the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. According to him, it is the government that can help ease the burden.

"It should have spoken to the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government," he said.

For your information, through Instagram social media, the owner of Holycow Steakhouse, Afit Dwi Purwanto, asked how he could pay for rental fees, electricity, employee salaries, with restaurant income of only 1 to 3 servings per day.