Pandemic Covid-19: more than 1 thousand hotels closed, motorcycle taxi banned from carrying passengers

Last updated on May 11th, 2021 at 09:02 am

As many 1,266 hotels has closed their operations due to being impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia. This report has been received and confirmed by Chief of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Hariyadi Sukamdani. Then the hotel employees itself were asked to take leave.

“The latest report declared that 1,266 hotels have closed as of yesterday afternoon, Monday, April 6. Realistically, there must be more because (what we know) is still based on reports,” Hariyadi said in Jakarta, on Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

Hariyadi expects more than 150,000 employees to be impacted by seeing that numbers.

Furthermore, in terms of the food and beverage industry, Hariyadi evaluated that a number of restaurants have closed down their businesses because a number of malls have also been closed. There are limited number of restaurants that serve delivery and take away services.

However, data on restaurants is not the most accurate because Hariyadi evaluating practitioners of the food and beverage industry to lack discipline, in terms of data collection.

Hariyadi acknowledged that data on restaurants is not the most accurate, due to Hariyadi evaluating practitioners of the food and beverage industry to lack discipline, in terms of data collection.

PHRI, according to him, continues to maintain coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and the Creative Economy to handle the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hariyadi expressed his concerns on hotels not being able to pay employee salaries and Holiday Allowance (THR) for the coming Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, due to the drop in income. The businesses have nothing to rely on cash flow as for now.

Meanwhile, motorcycle taxi services banned to pick up passengers during the large-scale social restriction protocol (PSBB). The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) reacts that the ban is understandable amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The decision is difficult for the ban to be imposed but must be adhered. The purpose is for the wellbeing of both the passenger and driver. This was said by YLKI chairperson Tulus Abadi on Monday, April 6.

The ban on carrying passengers is overseen under the Health Ministry’s decree No.9/2020.

As for now,  online motorcycle taxi drivers are limited to only provide courier and food delivery services.

On the other hand, representing the drivers’ side, the Two-Wheel Action Movement (Garda) leader Igun Wicaksono said that the policy will have a severe impact on the online motorcycle taxi drivers’ income.

Igun said that dropping-off passengers remain one of the many aspects that contribute largely to a driver’s income.