About 300,000 workers will be made idle due to the closing of entertainment venues in Jakarta during Ramadan.

As per the law, specifically Regional Law No.10, 2004, and an edict by the Governor of Jakarta, No.118, 2004, places such as massage parlours, night clubs, stand-alone bars, and amusement arcades, must close throughout the month of Ramadan, while live music shows and karaoke bars may operate from 8.30 pm until 1.30 am. Bars in starred hotels are allowed to operate as usual except during Lebaran and on a few other days.

An official from the public order body said that 70 men had been given the job of policing the rules in Jakarta.

Adrian Maelite of the Asosiasi Pengusaha Hiburan Indonesia (Aspehindo) says that of the 450,000 people employed in the entertainment industry in Jakarta about 300,000 will have a month-long holiday because of the rules. But Adrian claimed that those workers would still get paid for the month and would still receive their Idul Fitri bonus.

Meanwhile parliamentarian Achmad H Alaydrus urged owners of such places to keep paying wages to idle staff, saying that such businesses were very profitable and owners had no excuse not to pay.