Proposed Weekend Lockdown Makes Hotel And Restaurant Entrepreneurs Scream

ILLUSTRATION / HI Jakarta Roundabout (VOI)

JAKARTA - The proposal for a weekend lockdown in DKI Jakarta has recently been made public. Business circles also responded to the proposal. One of them was from the hotel and restaurant industry, they rejected the plan. Not without reason, this plan is considered sudden and burdensome to business actors.

Chairman of the Governing Body for the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association, Sutrisno Iwantono, said that the COVID-19 pandemic that has occurred for months has severely hit the country's hotel industry. All restrictions on activities carried out to suppress the spread of the virus also caused hotels and restaurants to collapse one by one.

Sutrisno said that if the proposed weekend lockdown was implemented, hundreds of restaurants would be out of business. This is because entrepreneurs are unable to survive the onslaught of the pandemic and all the restrictions on community activities that were imposed previously.

"If this option (weekend lockdown) runs, we can be sure that restaurant closures will permanently reach around 750. Permanent business closures mean that the unemployment rate will also increase," he said, in a virtual press conference, Friday, February 5.

Sutrisno said, PHRI Pusat had conducted a survey in September 2020 of more than 9,000 restaurants throughout Indonesia, with 4,469 respondents. As a result, it was found that around 1,033 restaurants were permanently closed. In fact, since October 2020 until now, it can be estimated that around 125 to 150 restaurants are closed per month.

The proposed lockdown this weekend, said Sutrisno, would also have a profound impact on the company's cash flow in the midst of its efforts to survive and rise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only that, according to him, currently there have been many reservations for small-scale meetings and weddings in hotels and restaurants. However, the discourse of a lockdown at the weekend will certainly have an impact on payment cancellations and refunds.

Furthermore, he said, the policy would only put hotels and restaurants in a very bad situation. Especially for hotels, guests must also check out earlier than they should, because they cannot leave the hotel area when the lockdown is running.

Therefore, the businessman asked the government, especially the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, not to carry out a policy that was a surprise. This is because the surprise policy makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to respond to this.

Sutrisno also asked the government to hold a dialogue if it was going to issue a policy. Moreover, this sector was hit the earliest due to the pandemic and is estimated to be the last to recover.

"We ask the government, especially the DKI Regional Government before issuing a policy, to hold a dialogue first with business actors in general. Especially if our sector is hotels and restaurants because hotel and restaurant sectors are the worst among other sectors. We seem to be affected the most. end of recovery, "he explained.

Entrepreneurs ask for tax breaks

To be able to withstand the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Sutrisno, PHRI asked for an assistance scheme for hotel and restaurant businesses that suffered losses due to this tightening policy. Among these are Restaurant Tax (Pb1) so that it is not deposited with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government but is used to help business actors.

"Then, the PBB exemption for independent hotels and restaurants, the hotel and restaurant billboard tax exemption. Then, the reduction in the payment of electricity and water costs," he said.

Not only that, Sutrisno said, business actors also asked for additional operating hours to capacity for hotels and restaurants that have implemented strict health protocols.

"We submitted a proposal for the weekend lockdown option to the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to consider an exception to open until 21:00 WIB with a seating capacity of 50 percent," he said.

In addition, PHRI also requested that the DKI Jakarta regional government not impose an equal weekend lockdown policy for all businesses. Because, this will worsen the economic situation.

Illustration (Pixabay)

"So, please consider the leniency for business actors who have strictly followed health protocols," he said.

Then, PHRI also suggested that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and various related parties educate the public continuously and discipline the community. Especially in the main cluster of transmission, at the neighborhood and sub-district level.

"Because transmission at the community level is still very high," he explained.

Finally, said Sutrisno, PHRI proposed to increase the number of public facilities for washing hands, providing masks and, if possible, providing face shields for the community, especially in the main cluster of transmitters. Meanwhile, specifically for shopping centers, GeNose can be provided.

The DKI Jakarta Regional Government will not set a weekend lockdown policy

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan denied that he had ever reviewed and considered the proposed lockdown or lockdown at the weekend. After previously there was rejection from business actors regarding the proposal.

"We are not in a position to consider, let alone determine that there will be a lockdown at the weekend in Jakarta. That's not true," said Anies in a YouTube broadcast by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, Friday, February 5.

Anies said that currently DKI is implementing restrictions on community activities (PPKM) until February 8. Anies will ensure that the implementation of PPKM in the field runs well and orderly.

He again reminded the public to continue to comply with 3M's health protocol, namely wearing masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands. Also, you don't have to leave the house if you don't have an urgent need.

"On the other hand, the government will continue to work hard to improve 3T, testing capacity and testing activities, tracing capacity and tracing activities, then the capacity of health facilities, treatment and isolation to ensure that anyone who is exposed can quickly return to health," he explained.

Anies' statement contradicts the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Riza Patria. He said he would consider the option of implementing a lockdown on the weekends of Saturdays and Sundays.

This proposal came from Member of Commission IX of the DPR Saleh Partaonan Daulay. Daulay considered that the government's policies to limit community activities through the PSBB and PPKM had not been maximally successful.

"That is a suggestion from friends in the DPR RI. Of course DKI Jakarta will conduct studies, analysis. Later, the Governor will also chair internal meetings, whether the proposed lockdown weekend from the DPR RI is possible," said Riza on Tuesday, February 2.