Entertainment Workers to Stage Protest at Jakarta City Hall Tuesday

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Entertainment workers plan to hold a rally at Jakarta City Hall on Tuesday, July 21, to call for the reopening of their workplaces amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta Association of Entertainment Entrepreneurs (Asphija) Head Hana Suryani said on Monday that workers of discotheques, live music, and karaoke centers, bars, and massage parlors will gather to get their voices heard.

“About a thousand workers have been registered to participate in the rally tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10am at the City Hall. The number could be more as this information has been spread out,” Hana said.

She said that the workers will demand the reopening of entertainment centers soon. “For us to survive, we call for the reopening of our businesses and we will comply with health protocols,” she said.

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Workers of the entertainment industry want to discuss the closure of their workplaces and ask for an explanation from the Jakarta Administration regarding the fate of the entertainment workers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hana said she previously had discussed matters related to health protocols and sanctions with representatives from the Jakarta Tourism Office.

“Will the governor take heed and make room for discussion? We have talked to the Tourism Office but there's been no progress so far,” she said.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan previously extended the large-scale social restrictions measures or PSBB to contain the spread of coronavirus during the first phase of the transition period. Anies extended the PSBB transition for two weeks from July 17 to July 30. During this period, everyone must comply with health protocols to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

He called on all Jakartans to remain disciplined in implementing health protocols. He also postponed reopening many activities.