Mall Closes When Emergency PPKM Becomes a Heavy Hit for Entrepreneurs

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Modern shopping mall manager assesses closing policy times during the Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) emergency became a heavy blow. The reason is, the closure of the mall is feared to make tenants (tenant) left because there were no visitors

“This is a blow for us, we are shocked. It should be at 17.00 or what time we still understand. If it is completely closed, what can we do, our tenants also cannot survive this way,” said the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Stefanus Ridwan to CNNIndonesia.com, Thursday (1/7).

He questioned the government’s policy of closing the mall even though the manager had enforced health protocols for workers and visitors. According to him, malls are not the source of the spread of COVID-19 because there are few visitors.

“She must have been before break up (Government) see what the situation is in the mall, what is it like in other places. “Actually, what has made this Covid-19 increase is malls or other places, I think it really needs to be seen, not just if there is something wrong with the mall,” he added.

Separately, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association, Aprindo Roy Nicholas Mandey, asked the government to clarify the rules for supermarkets and hypermarkets inside malls if they must close during emergency PPKM.

He reminded that the majority of supermarkets and hypermarkets that sell people’s daily needs are inside malls. “The number of supermarkets and hypermarkets outside the mall is at most 10 percent, while 90 percent is inside the mall,” he said.

In the Guidance for Implementation of Tightening Community Activities in Emergency PPKM in the Provinces of Java and Bali, the government limits the operating hours of supermarkets, traditional markets, grocery stores, and supermarkets that sell daily necessities until 20.00 local time.

In addition, the capacity of visitors is also limited to 50 percent. Meanwhile, the shopping center is closed. Roy assessed that the regulation could have multiple interpretations, especially in the regions.

According to Roy, the government should allow supermarkets and hypermarkets located in malls to continue operating even though they are limited.

“We ask for a clear definition, supermarkets are open until 20:00 with a capacity of 50 percent of visitors. Now what about supermarkets in malls, while at the next point the shopping centers are closed, we ask for certainty,” he said.

In general, he thinks that the government should still allow malls to continue operating even though they are limited. The reason is, a number of MSME actors also depend on their income from mall operations.

“Then in the mall there are MSMEs that are assisted by the government. It means that assistance to MSMEs is in vain because their merchandise is actually closed,” he said.

Meanwhile, General Chairperson of APPBI Alphonzus Widjaja is still waiting for the official announcement of the mall operating rules from the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

“Meanwhile, APPBI’s statement is still like this, if there are details of the official decision, it will be updated again,” he said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) set the Emergency PPKM in Java-Bali to take effect from July 3 to July 20, 2021. This was done to suppress the spread of COVID-19.

[Gambas:Video CNN]

(ulf / sfr)

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