Heru Andriyanto, Bandung – Authorities in the city of Bandung issued a temporary closure order for a Circle-K convenience store on Saturday, following a complaint from renowned Muslim preacher Abdullah Gymnastiar, widely known as Aa Gym.
The closure notice mentions that the store, situated adjacent to the Daarut Tauhiid Mosque, has been sealed to visitors due to a lack of a government permit.
However, this action came in the wake of Aa Gym's recent video, where he expressed concerns about men and women gathering at the store's outdoor dining tables until after midnight.
In the video posted on the X social media platform by an account named Bandung Fess, Aa Gym approached the store with the camera, criticizing the late-night gatherings.
"It's already midnight; how can boys and girls mix together here? There's an Islamic boarding school [nearby], so please show some respect," Aa Gym said in the video.
He explicitly held the Canadian-based convenience store chain responsible for disrupting the local neighborhood, asserting that it "used to be quiet until Circle-K's arrival."
"Can somebody help? The mayor, the police?" he appealed, highlighting that neither the mosque nor the boarding school was consulted for permission when the store was constructed. Approval from the surrounding communities is a prerequisite for a government license for a public facility.
"I feel uneasy and uncomfortable with the situation, and I am unsure if the store's owner is considerate of the nearby mosque and boarding school," Aa Gym added.