BANDUNG - Head of the Bandung Raya Association of Indonesian Shopping Center Managers (APPBI) Handianto Lie said there were about five shopping centers or malls that were threatened with being sold because of the lack of visitors during the implementation of the Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).
One of them, he said, was the Ujung Berung Town Square Mall (Ubertos), which has recently been bustling on social media. Similar to Ubertos, according to him, the other four malls, which were not mentioned in detail, are likely to be sold.
"If it is recorded, there are several, so they live reluctantly, they don't want to die, there are approximately five malls (which are willing to be sold), this is what the government needs to start thinking about," said Handiyanto, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, August 24.
According to him, so far even though relaxation has been given to malls, visitors have not increased significantly. In fact, the city government has allowed malls in Bandung to receive visitors by 50 percent of the total capacity.
"Yes, the average per day is around 10-15 percent, on weekends maybe 15 percent, yes, if at the mall I manage BTC Pasteur the visits are below 10 percent," he said.
Handiyanto said the lack of visitors to the mall was due to the fact that the playground or entertainment venue had not yet been opened. The reason, he said, is that people who want to visit the mall are not only for shopping, but also for entertainment.
"Actually, we have also been grateful for the 50 percent relaxation, but we are asking now not too much, we ask that the entertainment venues are also opened," he said.
Because when entertainment venues are opened, such as children's playgrounds, youth playgrounds, cinemas, according to him, the workforce will also be reabsorbed.
"For example, the cinema usually has 30 employees. If the cinema is closed, 30 people are missing. Now in Bandung, how many malls are there, maybe hundreds of cinema workers are jobless," continued Handianto.
He ensured that so far the health protocols have been carried out strictly in all malls in Bandung according to government recommendations. In addition, the majority of workers at the mall have also taken the COVID-19 vaccination, even though it is only the first dose.
"Maybe this week in Greater Bandung, all workers will have been vaccinated, yesterday there were still around six thousand workers (who haven't), but lately many of them are independent, because there is a regulation from the mall government that they must vaccinate," said Handiyanto.
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