24 Hour Warung amidst Pressure to Restrict Opening Hours

The success of the 24-hour Madura stall has sparked pros and cons. It takes wisdom to find a fair solution for all.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

One of the 24-hour open food stalls in Sudimoro coffee hub, Malang City, East Java, photographed on Thursday (26/4/2024).

The emergence of stalls that are open 24 hours in a number of places in the country has recently become a highlight. Not only because its existence is new but immediately stole people's hearts, but also because some people reject it for a number of reasons.

The latest rejection comes from several reports in Bali regarding the 24-hour operating hours. The rejection is strengthened by borrowing comments from the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Arif Rahman Hakim, who requested that traditional shops comply with the operational hours according to local regulations.

The Denpasar City Public Order Police Unit is urging small grocery store owners to limit their store hours. Small grocery stores that operate 24 hours a day are considered to be at risk of creating social tensions and are even vulnerable to criminal activity.

Head of the Denpasar City Civil Service Police Unit, Anak Agung Ngurah Bawa Nendra, said that the government does not prohibit citizens from creating and opening economic businesses as long as their activities follow the regulations and fulfill the provisions, including permits.

"Generally, small businesses, including trading businesses, require permits such as a Trading Business License (SIUP)," said Bawa Nendra on Friday (April 26, 2024).

Also read: The Story of Migrants, This is the Madurese Way!

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI (RAD)

Residents are shopping at the Madura shop "Barokah" located in the North Grogol area, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, on Thursday (10/11/2022). In recent years, Madura shops or convenience stores have spread in several places in Jakarta and its surroundings. In addition to selling daily needs such as rice, soap, and LPG, most of these shops are also open 24 hours a day.

Bawa Nendra added that even though it falls under the category of micro-businesses that are not required to have a Business Registration Certificate, warung kelontong (small convenience stores) still have to register their business permits. Registering the business permit for micro-businesses also relates to regional data collection. "The authority lies with the Department of Trade," he said.

As for the Regional Civil Service Police Unit, according to Bawa Nendra, they are authorized to enforce regional regulations, provide community protection, as well as maintain public order and peace, in accordance with their duties.

Regarding the operation of convenience stores, which are open up to 24 hours a day, according to Bawa Nendra, the Satpol PP as a local government apparatus is responsible for maintaining public order and community peace by preventing potential vulnerabilities and social friction in society.

KOMPAS/COKORDA YUDISTIRA

Grocery stalls in the Kerobokan area, North Kuta District, Badung Regency, which are managed by migrant residents are also driving the regional economy.

"Regarding the operational hours of trading businesses, what is regulated is the operational time of shopping centers and supermarkets limited until 9:00 PM WITA or on Saturdays and Sundays until 10:00 PM WITA," said Bawa Nendra.

"As for grocery stalls, it is not yet covered by regional regulations or the Denpasar mayor's regulations," he continued.

Separately, the Head of Klungkung Regency Satpol PP I Dewa Putu Suwarbawa conveyed the same thing. According to Suwarbawa, Klungkung Regency Regional Regulation Number 13 of 2018 concerning the Arrangement and Development of People's Markets, Shopping Centers and Supermarkets only requires the working hours of minimarkets, hypermarkets, department stores and supermarket.

All three are limited to operate until 10 PM WITA from Monday to Friday or until 11 PM WITA on Saturdays and Sundays.

Also read: Madura Grocery Stall Fight

KOMPAS/DWI BAYU RADIUS

The shop keeper, Holis (48), chats with the owner of the business, Abdul Hamied (44), in Depok, West Java, Tuesday (7/2/2023).

"Meanwhile, for small shops and the like, they have not yet been regulated by the Klungkung regulations," said Suwarbawa. He added that the existence of convenience stores, which are open 24 hours a day and run by migrants, has social vulnerabilities.

"The emergence of social friction is what needs to be prevented by limiting the opening hours of grocery stalls," said Suwarbawa.

According to Bali economist and Professor at the Economics and Business Faculty at National Education University (Undiknas) Denpasar, Ida Bagus Raka Suardana, the existence of small-scale grocery stores in Bali must be recorded as they are part of the people's economic potential, which has an impact on the local economy.

Data collection on grocery stalls is the same as data collection on micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM). "Forbidding business is actually not good because stalls are also one of the economic drivers," said Raka Suardana.

He added that the phenomenon of the proliferation of small corner shops, run by migrant communities, could cause social tensions if these businesses face objections or rejection from the local community due to unhealthy competition which can cause the demise of local businesses.

Prohibiting business is actually not good because stalls are also one of the economic drivers.

According to Raka Suardana, the effort of small grocery stores, which may seem simple yet fully equipped, in Bali is estimated to be owned by several big entrepreneurs from the region of East Java.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Residents are shopping at a small convenience store in Pisangan, East Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten on Tuesday (11/8/2022). This Madurese convenience store, which is open 24 hours a day, can compete with the rapidly growing minimarkets. Its cheaper prices compared to the minimarkets are one of its main attractions.

Raka Suardana stated that the big business owner rented a place of business and placed his employees, who came from the same area as the business owner, in the small shop. According to him, the placement of shop employees in residential areas should also be reported to local environmental authorities so that the population data in the area can be organized.

Also maintain security

As for the perspective of 24-hour small business owners, some of whom are Madurese communities, they reject being considered as a source of insecurity. On the contrary, according to them, operating 24-hour business helps to maintain environmental safety.

Therefore, they hope that the government will not limit the operational hours of local shops. They also hope that the government will support them as part of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and not shut down their communal business endeavors.

Chairman of the Central Leadership Council Madura Family Association (Ikama) Muhammad Rawi objected to the ban on stalls operating 24 hours. This was to comment on the statement by the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Arif Rahman Hakim, who asked stalls to comply with sales operating hours according to regulations.

The statement from the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs was actually in response to objections from a number of parties in Klungkung regarding the operational hours of the stalls operating there. Currently, in many places, warung Madura is open 24 hours. They sell various goods, from fuel to daily necessities.

In the Jabodetabek area alone, according to Rawi, there are 5,000 24-hour Madura stalls.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

Chairman of the Central Leadership Council of the Madurese Family Association (Ikama) Muhammad Rawi

One of the objections raised by residents is the local regulation in Klungkung Regency Number 13 of 2018 regarding the arrangement and development of traditional markets, shopping centers, and supermarkets. Article 4 of the regulation mentions the restriction of operational hours for minimarkets.

It states, "The working hours of Minimarket, Hypermarket, Department Store and Supermarket businesses must be as follows: a. for Monday to Friday, 10.00 WITA to 22.00 WITA. b. for Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00 WITA to 23.00 WITA. (2) For religious holidays, national holidays or closing days of the financial year/accounting year until 00.00 WITA." Of all the clauses in the regional regulation, there are no regulations regarding the existence of stalls or grocery shops.

"We are here to provide solutions to the community, where when many shopping centers are closed, we provide what the community needs. We need to be embraced and nurtured, not destroyed. Moreover, we are actually helping people who need to find goods when all shopping centers are closed," said Rawi.

Rawi hopes that the government will not "destroy" Madurese warung business owners, but instead empower them. "I hope that we are not destroyed, but instead developed by the government. We are not troublesome. We want to be guided and we abide by the rules. If we don't follow the government's rules, who else should we follow?" he said.

Also read: Local Herbals Mainstay of Madurese Herbal Craftsmen

WISNU DEWABRATA

Fadlali (44) and his wife, Mas'odaturrahmaniyah (36), stood in front of one of their four small shops in the Cijingga area, Cikarang Selatan, Bekasi Regency, West Java on Thursday (11/10/2022).

By opening a 24-hour Madurese food stall, according to Rawi, there are three benefits that can be gained. "First, the economic impact. We also do shopping and pay taxes according to regulations. Although our shopping is not directly large, when we shop to stock up the food stall, it means we also pay taxes," said Rawi.

We need to be embraced and nurtured, not destroyed. Especially since we are the ones helping the community find goods when all shopping centers are closed.

According to Rawi, the second benefit of having a 24-hour Madurese food stall is its social impact. "By opening the stall 24 hours, we are also helping to maintain the security situation," he said.

As for the third benefit, warungs can be used as information centers. "For government officials, the existence of 24-hour warungs can be a center of information for various things related to crime prevention, terrorism, or other matters," he said.

The success of the 24-hour Maduranese food stalls has surprised many people. Because in a short time, their presence has spread everywhere. Perhaps it takes wisdom and the need to sit down together to find the best solution for everyone.

Also read: Cooperation and Involvement of the Madurese Diaspora Will Improve the Economy