Jakarta – Mikael Mirdad, the owner of the Beer Garden bar in Kemang, South Jakarta, has little choice but to close his establishment because defying the city's ban on nighttime entertainment carries the risk of being raided by public order officers, or worse, being attacked by Islamic vigilantes groups.

"I personally disagree with the policy requiring bars and other entertainment establishments to stop operating during Ramadhan, because although the majority [of Indonesians] are Muslims, there are some who don't fast and still drink liquor," he said.

Mikael said shutting down the establishment from Aug. 1 to early September was a difficult decision, financially. "We don't earn anything during Ramadhan but we pay salaries and holiday allowances for 25 employees," he said, adding that some of his staff took part-time jobs or just stayed at home.

The Beer Garden is one of many types of entertainment establishments ordered by the Jakarta administration to cease operating during Ramadhan. Nightclubs, spas, massage parlors, video poker dens and bars must cease operating a day before Ramadhan and can only resume business a day after the Idul Fitri holiday ends.

To enforce the ban, the Jakarta Public Order Agency deployed officers to patrol night spots. Governor Fauzi Bowo warned vigilante groups against conducting raids on business establishment during Ramadhan after threats from hard-line Islamic groups who vowed to carry out their own raids.

Some entertainment spots have tried to get around the regulation by reducing their opening hours.

Another beer house in Kemang, Bremer, has since late July reduced its opening hours from between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. to between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. during Ramadhan. The short opening hours meant significantly reduced revenue for the bar.

Bremer operations manager Windu Anggoro said revenue dropped 30 to 40 percent during Ramadhan. "We still have to pay full salaries and holiday bonuses for 13 staff."

He added that Bremer had submitted to several restrictions such as reducing the volume of music and withdrawing all alcohol advertising. "We need to play by the rules. We don't want to go down the road taken by Star Deli bar when it was raided in 2004," he said.

Kemang area night spot Star Deli Cafe was ransacked and vandalized by members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) in 2004 for operating during Ramadhan. So far, there have been no reports of Islamic vigilante group raids.

On Tuesday, the Jakarta Tourism Agency shut down a spa in Central Jakarta for remaining open during Ramadhan. However, a number of spas continued to open for business on Thursday.

A spa in Pecenongan, Central Jakarta that caters only to male clients, said it remained open from 1 p.m. to midnight every day. "'Our prices haven't changed. Customers don't need a reservation unless they want a group massage session," a receptionist said. (msa)